CVD diamond-a unique engineering material

Recent developments in the synthesis of diamond using Chemical Vapour Deposition (CVD) are allowing the use of diamond in a wide range of applications: CVD diamond has particular benefits compared with most materials used in microengineering and micromechanics due to its chemical inertness, particularly at elevated temperatures. Diamond potentially enables, for example, low cost and highly durable pressure or ultrasonic gas flow sensors for the automotive industry. Microengineered components from diamond might find application in medicine. In particular, diamond´s extreme hardness, low coefficient of friction and therefore extremely low wear rate offer the potential for microengineered components of extreme durability and longevity as demanded from, for example, microfilters and micropumps in minimally invasive surgery, noxious or harsh environments