Based on the latest experimental results, the on‐resistance of diamond devices is compared with those of other wide‐bandgap semiconductor devices from the power device point of view. From the dynamic temperature dependence of the on‐resistance, the superiority of the diamond device as a majority carrier device is made clear. The history of diamond transistor development is reviewed in order to show how progress in crystal growth was related to the realization of diamond devices with such superior characteristics. Step flow growth using an off‐orientation substrate is introduced as the latest advance in gas‐phase synthesis of diamond. By means of step flow growth, not only is the surface morphology improved, but the repeatability of doping is increased. Progress in this crystal growth technology offers the possibility of further new devices. © 1999 Scripta Technica, Electron Comm Jpn Pt 2, 82(7):68–79, 1999