Abstract: A composite product has a body of polycrystalline diamond (PCD) material having a PCD proximal end and a PCD distal end, an electronic device including an electronic component, and a connection portion joining the electronic device to the body at the PCD distal end, and comprising metallic join material having a liquidus temperature of 600° C. to 950° C. at atmospheric pressure. At least one of the electronic device and the body includes an electrically insulating portion between the electronic component and the PCD proximal boundary establishing an electrical open circuit condition between the electronic component and the PCD proximal boundary. A method of making the composite product is also disclosed.

Abstract: A sensor element for a cutting tool, the sensor element having a hard portion having a working surface and at least one diamond crystal at least partially embedded in the hard portion, the at least one diamond crystal being arranged to generate a piezoresistive signal in response to the working surface engaging external material in use.

Abstract: A sensor element for a cutting tool has a hard portion having a first sensing surface, first and second electrodes, and first and second sets of thermocouple wires, and an electrically insulating portion. The second electrode has a second sensing surface, The hard portion comprises hard and/or super-hard material and the first and second electrodes comprise electrically conductive hard and/or super-hard material, the hard portion isolating the first sensing surface from the second sensing surface. The second electrode is attached to or forms part of an electrically conductive region of the hard portion or a region attached thereto. Electric current flows between the first and second electrodes through external material when the sensing surfaces contact the material in response to the cutting tool engaging the material. The first and second electrodes are operable to indicate any one or more of a temperature of the first and second electrodes, and conductivity between the electrodes.

Abstract: A method of fabricating a CVD synthetic diamond material, the method comprising providing a compacted diamond carrier material consisting of compacted non-intergrown diamond particles substantially free of a second phase, and growing CVD synthetic diamond material on a surface of the compacted diamond carrier material. Composite diamond bodies made by the method are also described.

Abstract: A sensor element for a cutting tool (100) has a hard portion (110) having a sensing surface (112), first and second electrodes (120, 130), first and second sets of thermocouple wires (122, 132) and an electrically insulating portion. The first and second electrodes (120, 130) are arranged to allow electric current to flow when the sensing surface (112) contacts external material in response to the cutting tool engaging the external material. A first thermocouple junction (124) is operable to indicate a temperature of the first electrode and a second thermocouple junction (134) is operable to measure temperature of the second electrode.

Abstract: A microwave plasma reactor for manufacturing synthetic diamond material via chemical vapour deposition includes a microwave generator configured to generate microwaves at a frequency f, a plasma chamber that defines a resonance cavity for supporting a microwave resonance mode, a microwave coupling configuration for feeding microwaves from the microwave generator into the plasma chamber, a gas flow system for feeding process gases into the plasma chamber and removing them therefrom, and a substrate holder disposed in the plasma chamber and having a supporting surface for supporting a substrate on which the synthetic diamond material is to be deposited in use. The resonance cavity is configured to have a height that supports a TM011 resonant mode at the frequency f and is further configured to have a diameter that satisfies the condition that a ratio of the resonance cavity height/the resonance cavity diameter is in the range 0.3 to 1.0.

Abstract: A bearing assembly includes a roller bearing unit, an inner race and an outer race. The roller bearing unit is formed of polycrystalline super-hard material having a mean mass density of at most 4.5 g/cm3 and a volume-weighted arithmetic mean thermal conductivity of at least 100 W/m·K.

Abstract: A cutting element (1) for a tool with an electrically conductive track (6) formed at a surface region. The cutting element (1) comprises a HPHT produced polycrystalline diamond body. The conductive track (6) comprises graphite such that the electrically conductive track (6) has an electrical resistance substantially lower than that of the surface region.

Abstract: A composite product has a body of polycrystalline diamond (PCD) material having a PCD proximal end and a PCD distal end, an electronic device including an electronic component, and a connection portion joining the electronic device to the body at the PCD distal end, and comprising metallic join material having a liquidus temperature of 600° C. to 950° C. at atmospheric pressure. At least one of the electronic device and the body includes an electrically insulating portion between the electronic component and the PCD proximal boundary establishing an electrical open circuit condition between the electronic component and the PCD proximal boundary. A method of making the composite product is also disclosed.

Abstract: A cutter assembly for a cutting tool has a super-hard volume of super-hard material having a proximal end and a distal end and including a cavity; and a cover member. The super-hard volume has a super-hard surface at the distal end including a cutting edge. The cavity has a cavity open end at the distal end. The super-hard surface includes a cavity peripheral area coterminous with the cavity open end and the cover member has a cover peripheral area configured to mate with the cavity peripheral area to allow the cover member to cover the cavity at the cavity open end, the covered cavity providing a housing chamber within the super-hard volume. A method of making a cutter assembly is also disclosed.

Abstract: A microwave plasma reactor for manufacturing synthetic diamond material via chemical vapour deposition, the microwave plasma reactor includes a plasma chamber, a substrate holder, a microwave coupling configuration for feeding microwaves into the plasma chamber, and a gas flow system for feeding process gases into the plasma chamber and removing them therefrom. The gas flow system includes a gas inlet array having a plurality of gas inlets for directing the process gases towards the substrate holder. The gas inlet array includes at least six gas inlets disposed in a substantially parallel or divergent orientation relative to a central axis of the plasma chamber.

Abstract: A bearing assembly includes a roller bearing unit, an inner race and an outer race. The roller bearing unit is formed of polycrystalline super-hard material having a mean mass density of at most 4.5 g/cm3 and a volume-weighted arithmetic mean thermal conductivity of at least 100 W/m·K.

Abstract: A cutting element (1) for a tool with an electrically conductive track (6) formed at a surface region. The cutting element (1) comprises a HPHT produced polycrystalline diamond body. The conductive track (6) comprises graphite such that the electrically conductive track (6) has an electrical resistance substantially lower than that of the surface region.

Abstract: A cutting bit assembly for a mining machine includes a holder having a first surface, a second surface, and a bore extending therebetween, and a bit having a first end and a second end. The bit further includes a tip, a shank, and a shoulder positioned between the tip and the shank. The shank is positioned in the bore of the holder and defines a shank axis. The shoulder engages the first surface of the holder. The shank includes a projection adjacent the second end. The cutting bit assembly also includes a retainer having a groove and a resilient member. The groove engages a portion of the projection. The resilient portion engages the second surface of the holder and biases the retainer along the shank axis and away from the holder.

Abstract: A method of fabricating a plurality of single crystal CVD diamonds, the method comprising: coating a carrier substrate with a layer of polycrystalline CVD diamond material; bonding a plurality of single crystal diamond substrates to the layer of polycrystalline CVD diamond material on the carrier substrate; growing single crystal CVD diamond material on the plurality of single crystal diamond substrates to form a plurality of single crystal CVD diamonds; and separating the plurality of single crystal CVD diamonds from the layer of polycrystalline CVD diamond material on the carrier substrate and any polycrystalline CVD diamond material which has grown between the plurality of single crystal CVD diamonds to yield a plurality of individual single crystal CVD diamonds.

Abstract: A microwave plasma reactor for manufacturing synthetic diamond material via chemical vapour deposition includes a microwave generator configured to generate microwaves at a frequency f, a plasma chamber that defines a resonance cavity for supporting a microwave resonance mode, a microwave coupling configuration for feeding microwaves from the microwave generator into the plasma chamber, a gas flow system for feeding process gases into the plasma chamber and removing them therefrom, and a substrate holder disposed in the plasma chamber and having a supporting surface for supporting a substrate on which the synthetic diamond material is to be deposited in use. The resonance cavity is configured to have a height that supports a TM011 resonant mode at the frequency f and is further configured to have a diameter that satisfies the condition that a ratio of the resonance cavity height/the resonance cavity diameter is in the range 0.3 to 1.0.

Abstract: A microwave plasma reactor for manufacturing synthetic diamond material via chemical vapor deposition, the microwave plasma reactor comprising: a microwave generator configured to generate microwaves at a frequency f; a plasma chamber comprising a base, a top plate, and a side wall extending from said base to said top plate defining a resonance cavity for supporting a microwave resonance mode, wherein the resonance cavity has a central rotational axis of symmetry extending from the base to the top plate, and wherein the top plate is mounted across said central rotational axis of symmetry; a microwave coupling configuration for feeding microwaves from the microwave generator into the plasma chamber; a gas flow system for feeding process gases into the plasma chamber and removing them therefrom; and 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; wherein the resonance cavity is con

Abstract: A method of fabricating a plurality of single crystal CVD diamonds, the method comprising: coating a carrier substrate with a layer of polycrystalline CVD diamond material; bonding a plurality of single crystal diamond substrates to the layer of polycrystalline CVD diamond material on the carrier substrate; growing single crystal CVD diamond material on the plurality of single crystal diamond substrates to form a plurality of single crystal CVD diamonds; and separating the plurality of single crystal CVD diamonds from the layer of polycrystalline CVD diamond material on the carrier substrate and any polycrystalline CVD diamond material which has grown between the plurality of single crystal CVD diamonds to yield a plurality of individual single crystal CVD diamonds.

Abstract: A cutting bit assembly for a mining machine includes a holder having a first surface, a second surface, and a bore extending therebetween, and a bit having a first end and a second end. The bit further includes a tip, a shank, and a shoulder positioned between the tip and the shank. The shank is positioned in the bore of the holder and defines a shank axis. The shoulder engages the first surface of the holder. The shank includes a projection adjacent the second end. The cutting bit assembly also includes a retainer having a groove and a resilient member. The groove engages a portion of the projection. The resilient portion engages the second surface of the holder and biases the retainer along the shank axis and away from the holder.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to substrates for use in microwave plasma reactors. Certain substrates include a cylindrical disc of a carbide forming refractory metal having a flat growth surface on which CVD diamond is to be grown and a flat supporting surface opposed to said growth surface. The cylindrical disc may have a diameter of 80 mm or more. The growth surface may have a flatness variation no more than 100 mm The supporting surface may have a flatness variation no more than 100 mm.