Patent ID: 8147790

Claim:
A method of fabricating polycrystalline diamond, comprising: (i) providing a plurality of diamond crystals and a metal-solvent catalyst; (ii) subjecting the plurality of diamond crystals and the metal-solvent catalyst to a first pressure-temperature condition during which carbon is dissolved in the metal-solvent catalyst and the metal-solvent catalyst is at least partially liquefied; (iii) after act (ii), subjecting the plurality of diamond crystals and the metal-solvent catalyst to a second pressure-temperature condition at which diamond is stable, wherein carbon has a lower solubility in the metal-solvent catalyst at the second pressure-temperature condition than at the first pressure-temperature condition; and (iv) after act (iii), subjecting the plurality of diamond crystals and the metal-solvent catalyst to a third pressure-temperature condition during which carbon is dissolved in the metal-solvent catalyst.