Diamond thin films: a 21st-century material

Diamond has some of the most extreme physical properties of any material, y et its practical use in science or engineering has been limited due its sca rcity and expense. With the recent development of techniques for depositing thin films of diamond on a variety of substrate materials, we now have the ability to exploit these superlative properties in many new and exciting a pplications. In this paper, we shall explain the basic science and technolo gy underlying the chemical vapour deposition of diamond thin films, and sho w how this is leading to the development of diamond as a 21st century engin eering material.