Intro -- ABSTRACT -- SVENSK SAMMANFATTNING -- POPULÄRVETENSKAPLIG SAMMANFATTNING -- PREFACE -- ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS -- INCLUDED PAPERS AND AUTHOR'S CONTRIBUTION -- PAPERS NOT INCLUDED IN THE THESIS -- TABLE OF CONTENTS -- 1. INTRODUCTION -- 2. TRANSITION METAL DIBORIDES -- 3. THIN FILM SYNTHESIS -- 4. THIN FILM CHARACTERIZATION TECHNIQUES -- 5. SUMMARY AND CONTRIBUTION TO THE FIELD -- 6. OUTLOOK -- 7. BIBLIOGRAPHY -- Papers.