Thinning a diamond body by means of molten rare-earth-containing alloys
AssigneeAT&T Bell Laboratories
InventorsJohn E. Graebner, Sungho Jin, Mark T. McCormack
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A diamond body, such as a CVD diamond film, is thinned by placing the body--at an elevated temperature and under pressure--in contact with a molten or partially molten alloy of a rare earth metal and a metallic impurity that lowers the melting point of the rare earth metal. Typically, the rare earth metal is cerium and the impurity is nickel. The pressure is typically less than approximately 0.2 MPa (Mega Pascal), preferably less than approximately 0.02 MPa, and the temperature is within a range whose lower limit is approximately 100 C. degrees below the melting point of the alloy of the rare earth plus impurity metal.
Claims22
A method of removing a thickness of material from a diamond body having at least one face, including the steps of
- (a) maintaining at least a portion of the face in direct physical contact with a molten or partially molten metallic alloy of one or more than one rare earth metal and one or more than one metallic impurity that reduces the melting point of the rare earth metal, the alloy either having the property of dissolving carbon or containing carbon and having the property of dissolving carbon;
- and
- (b) maintaining, during step a, the molten or partially molten alloy within a temperature range, whereby a thickness of the body located at the portion of the face thereof is removed.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.