Patent ID: 8071173

Claim:
A method of fabricating a polycrystalline diamond compact, comprising: forming an assembly including: an at least partially leached polycrystalline diamond table that includes a plurality of interstitial regions therein and a surface; at least one silicon-containing layer positioned adjacent to the surface of the at least partially leached polycrystalline diamond table; and a cemented carbide substrate positioned at least proximate to the at least partially leached polycrystalline diamond table; subjecting the assembly to a high-pressure/high-temperature process; at least partially infiltrating a first region of the at least partially leached polycrystalline diamond table with the at least one silicon-containing layer to form a silicon-infiltrated region and a second region of the at least partially leached polycrystalline diamond table with a metallic cementing constituent from the cemented carbide substrate to form a bonding region, and bonding the bonding region of the at least partially infiltrated polycrystalline diamond table to the cemented carbide substrate to form the polycrystalline diamond compact, in response to the high-pressure/high-temperature process; and exposing at least a portion of the silicon-infiltrated region of the at least partially infiltrated polycrystalline diamond table of the polycrystalline diamond compact to an acid such that at least a thermal stability thereof is enhanced.