Abstract: PCBN material consisting essentially of cubic boron nitride (cBN) grains and binder material, the content of the cBN grains being at least 80 weight percent of the PCBN material; the binder material comprising greater than 50 weight percent Al and a combined content of at least 5 weight percent of an iron group element and a refractory element, the iron group element selected from the group consisting of Co, Fe, Ni and Mn, and the refractory element selected from the group consisting of W, Cr, V, Mo, Ta, Ti, Hf and Zr.

Abstract: A thin plate of synthetic single crystal diamond material, the thin plate of synthetic single crystal diamond material having: a thickness in a range 100 nm to 50 ???; a concentration of quantum spin defects greater than 0.1 ppb (parts-per-billion); a concentration of point defects other than the quantum spin defects of below 200 ppm (parts-per-million); and wherein at least one major face of the thin plate of synthetic single crystal diamond material comprises surface termination species which have zero nuclear spin and/or zero electron spin.

Abstract: A cutting element for use in a drilling bit and/or milling bit having a cutter body made of a substrate having an upper surface, and a superabrasive layer overlying the upper surface of the substrate. The cutting element further including a sleeve extending around a portion of a side surface of the superabrasive layer and a side surface of the substrate, wherein the sleeve exerts a radially compressive force on the superabrasive layer.

Abstract: A polycrystalline diamond construction comprising a body of polycrystalline diamond material is formed of a mass of diamond grains exhibiting inter-granular bonding and defining a plurality of interstitial regions therebetween, and a non-diamond phase at least partially filling a plurality of the interstitial regions to form non-diamond phase pools, the non-diamond phase pools each having an individual cross-sectional area. The percentage of non-diamond phase in the total area of a cross-section of the body of polycrystalline diamond material and the mean of the individual cross-sectional areas of the non-diamond phase pools in the image analysed using an image analysis technique at a selected magnification is less than 0.7, or less than 0.340 microns squared, or between around 0.005 to 0.340 microns squared depending on the percentage of non-diamond phase in the total area of the cross-section of the polycrystalline diamond construction. There is also disclosed a method of making such a construction.

Abstract: The invention relates to a speaker dome comprising: a polycrystalline diamond dome body formed of a material of high stiffness with a Young's modulus greater than 50 GPa and having respective inner and outer surfaces; and a coating on at least one side of the dome body, wherein the coating comprises an optically refractive metal compound layer which is semi-transparent and which forms one or more colours via interference of reflected light from front and rear surfaces of the layer. The invention also relates to a diamond component comprising: a diamond body; and a coating on at least one side of the diamond body; wherein the coating comprises at-least two layers including a first layer bonded to the at least one side of the diamond body and a second layer disposed over the first layer, the second layer being an optically refractive metal compound coating which is semi-transparent and which forms one or more colours via interference of reflected light from front and rear surfaces of the second layer.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing synthetic CVD diamond material, the method comprising: providing a microwave plasma reactor comprising: a plasma chamber; one or more substrates disposed in the plasma chamber providing a growth surface area over which the synthetic CVD diamond material is to be deposited in use; a microwave coupling configuration for feeding microwaves from a microwave generator into the plasma chamber; and a gas flow system for feeding process gases into the plasma chamber and removing them therefrom, injecting process gases into the plasma chamber; feeding microwaves from the microwave generator into the plasma chamber through the microwave coupling configuration to form a plasma above the growth surface area; and growing synthetic CVD diamond material over the growth surface area, wherein the process gases comprise at least one dopant in gaseous form, selected from a one or more of boron, silicon, sulphur, phosphorous, lithium and beryllium at a concentration equal to or greater than 0.

Abstract: A single crystal synthetic CVD diamond material comprising: a growth sector; and a plurality of point defects of one or more type within the growth sector, wherein at least one type of point defect is preferentially aligned within the growth sector, wherein at least 60% of said at least one type of point defect shows said preferential alignment, and wherein the at least one type of point defect is a negatively charged nitrogen-vacancy defect (NV?).

Abstract: A superhard construction comprises a substrate and an ultra hard material layer formed over the substrate. One of the interface surface of the substrate or the interface surface of the ultra hard material layer comprises a plurality of spaced-apart projections arranged to project from the interface surface, the interface surface between the spaced-apart projections being uneven. A further superhard construction comprises a plurality of projections arranged to project from the interface surface which abut one or more adjacent projections along an edge thereof on the surface from which the projections project, and extend over all or a majority of the interface surface.

Abstract: A thin plate of synthetic single crystal diamond material, the thin plate of synthetic single crystal diamond material having: a thickness in a range 100 nm to 50 ???; a concentration of quantum spin defects greater than 0.1 ppb (parts-per-billion); a concentration of point defects other than the quantum spin defects of below 200 ppm (parts-per-million); and wherein at least one major face of the thin plate of synthetic single crystal diamond material comprises surface termination species which have zero nuclear spin and/or zero electron spin.

Abstract: A method of analysing chemical species in a solution, the method comprising: providing an electrochemical deposition apparatus comprising a first electrode (2) formed of an electrically conductive diamond material and a second electrode (4); locating the first electrode in contact with a solution (8) to be analysed and the second electrode in electrical contact with the solution to be analysed; applying a potential difference between the first and second electrodes (2, 4) such that current flows between the first and second electrodes through the solution to be analysed and chemical species are electro-deposited from the solution onto the first electrode; applying a spectroscopic analysis technique to the electro-deposited chemical species (M1, M2, M3) on the first electrode to generate spectroscopic data about the electro-deposited chemical species on the first electrode; and using the spectroscopic data to determine the type of chemical species electro-deposited on the first electrode.

Abstract: A microfluidic cell comprising: a microfluidic channel (32) for receiving a fluid sample; and a sensor (30) located adjacent the microfluidic channel; wherein the sensor comprises a diamond material comprising one or more quantum spin defects (34). In use, a fluid sample is loaded into the microfluidic cell and the fluid is analyzed via magnetic resonance using the quantum spin defects.

Abstract: A bipolar cell for a reactor for treatment of electrolyte such as waste water and effluent or for electrosynthesis comprises end electrodes and at least one bipolar electrode therebetween. The or each bipolar electrode comprises a diamond sheet. The cell includes a porous support structure, for example in the form of spacers, a lattice of plastic rods, or a woven mesh, between each end electrode and the adjacent diamond sheet, there being porous support structure between the or each pair of adjacent diamond sheets, the support structures acting to contact or support the or each diamond sheet.

Abstract: A microwave plasma reactor for manufacturing synthetic diamond material via chemical vapour deposition, the microwave plasma reactor comprising: a plasma chamber; a substrate holder disposed in the plasma chamber and comprising a supporting surface for supporting a substrate on which the synthetic diamond material is to be deposited in use; a microwave coupling configuration for feeding microwaves from a microwave generator into the plasma chamber; and a gas flow system for feeding process gases into the plasma chamber and removing them therefrom; wherein the microwave plasma reactor further comprises an electrically conductive plasma stabilizing annulus disposed around the substrate holder within the plasma chamber.

Abstract: A method of forming an instrumented cutting element comprises forming a free standing sintered diamond table having at least one chamber in the free standing sintered diamond table, providing a doped diamond material within the at least one chamber, and attaching a substrate to the free standing sintered diamond table to form an instrumented cutting element. The instrumented cutting element includes the doped diamond material disposed within the sintered diamond table on the substrate. A method of forming an earth-boring tool comprises attaching at least one instrumented cutting element to a body of an earth-boring tool. The at least one instrumented cutting element has a diamond table bonded to a substrate. The diamond table has at least one sensing element disposed at least partially within the diamond table. The at least one sensing element comprises a doped diamond material.

Abstract: Cutting elements, earth-boring drill bits having such cutting elements and related methods are described herein. In some embodiments, a cutting element for an earth-boring tool may include a diamond table having an indentation in a cutting face thereof and a shaped feature in a substrate at the interface between the diamond table and the substrate, the shaped feature corresponding to the indentation in the cutting face of the diamond table. In further embodiments, a cutting element for an earth-boring tool may include a sacrificial structure positioned within an indentation in a diamond table. In additional embodiments, a method of forming a cutting element may include positioning a sacrificial structure in a mold, positioning a powdered precursor material over the sacrificial structure, and pressing and sintering the powdered precursor material to form a diamond table having an indentation in a cutting face formed by the sacrificial structure.

Abstract: A synthetic single crystal diamond material comprising: a first region of synthetic single crystal diamond material comprising a plurality of electron donor defects; a second region of synthetic single crystal diamond material comprising a plurality of quantum spin defects; and a third region of synthetic single crystal diamond material disposed between the first and second regions such that the first and second regions are spaced apart by the third region, wherein the second and third regions of synthetic single crystal diamond material have a lower concentration of electron donor defects than the first region of synthetic single crystal diamond material, and wherein the first and second regions are spaced apart by a distance in a range 10 nm to 100 ?m which is sufficiently close to allow electrons to be donated from the first region of synthetic single crystal diamond material to the second region of synthetic single crystal diamond material thus forming negatively charged quantum spin defects in the second

Abstract: A bit for a rotary drill, the bit including a cylindrical body having at least two flutes provided therein, the cylindrical body terminating in a cutting end; and a cylindrical land defined by a peripheral face of the cylindrical body between adjacent flutes, the cylindrical land including a margin that is radially elevated relative to a remainder of the cylindrical land; the margin having a width that varies along the length of the cylindrical land.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a bit for a rotary drill, the bit including a drill tip (30), the method including providing a precursor structure (10) comprising substrate body (14) and a super-hard structure (12) joined to an upper surface of the substrate body; cutting a plurality of conformal inserts (20) from the precursor structure (10), each insert (20) comprising a part of the super-hard structure; providing a drill tip (30) configured for receiving the insert (20); and joining the insert to the drill tip (30).

Abstract: A cubic boron nitride (cBN) crystal or plurality of crystals containing a chloride salt compound including an alkali metal or an alkali earth metal. For example, the chloride salt compound may be selected from potassium chloride, magnesium chloride, lithium chloride, calcium chloride or sodium chloride. The crystal or crystals may have a relatively rough surface texture.

Abstract: A single crystal CVD synthetic diamond layer comprising a non-parallel dislocation array, wherein the non-parallel dislocation array comprises a plurality of dislocations forming an array of inter-crossing dislocations, as viewed in an X-ray topographic cross-sectional view or under luminescent conditions.