Patent ID: 9128031
Filing Date: 2015-09-08
Classification: B22F,C22C,E21B,G01N

Abstract:
1. A leaching method for removing at least a portion of a catalyst material from within a polycrystalline structure, the catalyst material being removed from one end of the polycrystalline structure to a desired leaching depth of the polycrystalline structure, the method comprising: obtaining a cutter comprising a substrate and a polycrystalline structure, the polycrystalline structure comprising a first end and a second end opposite the first end, wherein the second end of the polycrystalline structure is coupled to the substrate; performing a leaching process on the polycrystalline structure until at least a portion of the catalyst material is removed from an intermediate leaching depth of the polycrystalline structure, the leaching process forming at least some by-product materials deposited within the intermediate leaching depth of the polycrystalline structure; performing a cleaning process on the polycrystalline structure until at least a portion of the by-product materials is removed from the intermediate leaching depth of the polycrystalline structure; determining an effectiveness of the cleaning process using a capacitance measuring system comprising; continuing iteratively performing the leaching process and performing the cleaning process on the polycrystalline structure until the intermediate leaching depth reaches a desired leaching depth, wherein a different intermediate leaching depth is reached during each leaching process and each different intermediate leaching depth progresses towards the desired leaching depth, and wherein the desired leaching depth is greater than at least one intermediate leaching depth.