An intensifying interest from the scientific, technical, and industrial community in the new diamond technology can be attested to by the wide range of contributions in this proceedings volume. The papers discuss topics such as the applications of diamond films and related wide bandgap semiconductors and superhard materials. These materials are rapidly becoming economically significant due to their combination of superior properties: great hardness, high thermal conductivity, chemical inertness, high stiffness, high carrier mobilities, etc. Initial commercial products employing the new diamond technology are already on the market. These include diamond loudspeakers, diamond X-ray windows, diamond bonders, diamond cutting tools, and heads for magnetic disks coated with diamond-like carbon. The developments reported in this volume are important not only in terms of their own markets, but, also because they are expected to enable a wide range of other new products and production methods.
