Patent ID: 7616734

Claim:
A method for nondestructively obtaining measurement information within a plurality of ultra-hard polycrystalline constructions, each ultra-hard polycrystalline construction comprising a polycrystalline diamond body, wherein the measurement information is of a region within the polycrystalline diamond body that comprises less catalyst material than present in another region of the polycrystalline diamond body, and wherein the method comprises the steps of: conducting a first measurement using a device comprising an x-ray source and x-ray detector by directing x-rays generated by the source onto a surface of the body of one or more of the ultra-hard polycrystalline constructions, receiving x-ray fluorescence from the body, and deriving the measurement information from the received x-ray fluorescence; and using a nondestructive technique that is different than that used to conduct the first measurement to obtain a second measurement of one or more of the ultra-hard polycrystalline constructions; wherein the measurement information is used to determine the thickness of the region comprising less catalyst material.