Patent ID: 7517589

Claim:
A thermally stable diamond construction used for drilling a subterranean formation comprising: a diamond body comprising a plurality of bonded diamond crystals and a plurality of interstitial regions disposed among the bonded diamond crystals, the diamond body comprising: a thermally stable first region that is substantially free of a catalyst material and that extends a partial depth into the diamond body from exterior surfaces of the diamond body including a top surface, a side surface, and a beveled surface interposed between the top and side surfaces, wherein the exterior surface contacts the formation being drilled; and a second region that includes the catalyst material; a metallic substrate attached to the diamond body second region; and wherein the first region extends a depth of from about 0.02 to 0.09 mm from one or more of the exterior surfaces, and wherein the first region extends along the side surface a length that exceeds the depth of the first region at the side surface.