Diamond coatings

Abstract
Diamond is the hardest and most wear resistant rnaterial known. It has a unique combination of the highest known thermal conductivity, and other properties which will make possible the creation of whole new families of products. These include optical windows, laser diode heat sinks, electronic thermal management substrates, radiation detectors, wear products, and cutting tools. Natural diamond is too expensive for most of these products, except in special applications. However, chemical vapor deposition (CVD) diamond technology is rapidly being developed as a method to cost effectively produce both diamond coatings and free-standing diamond parts for many new products. Many applications are already in commercial production, and are expanding rapidly. The vast potential for future CVD diamond applications is reviewed.