Diamond is the crystalline form of carbon with a wide range of unique and desirable properties. Diamond is the hardest substance known; it is the best conductor of heat at room temperatures; it expands or contracts less than nearly all other materials when exposed to temperature changes; and it is optically transparent to a very wide range of visible light and other electromagnetic radiation. Such properties have made diamond a useful material for precise and durable cutting and grinding tools, for optical windows for various sensor technologies, and for heat sinks to help draw away the energy and heat generated by closely packed electronic components. As such markets for diamond products have developed, considerable interest has been generated in finding and perfecting methods to synthesize diamond.