Thermally stable diamond bonded materials and compacts

A thermally stable diamond bonded construction comprising:

• a diamond bonded body comprising;
• a thermally stable region extending a distance below a diamond bonded body surface, the thermally stable region having a material microstructure comprising a plurality of diamond grains bonded together by a reaction product of the diamond grains and a reactant;
• a polycrystalline diamond region extending a depth from the thermally stable region and having a material microstructure comprising intercrystalline bonded together diamond grains and a metal solvent catalyst disposed within interstitial regions between the intercrystalline bonded together diamond grains;
• and
• a metallic substrate attached to the polycrystalline diamond region;
• wherein the reactant is selected from the group of materials capable of reacting with the diamond at a temperature below the melting temperature of the metal solvent catalyst, and wherein the diamond body has a diamond volume content of greater than about 90 percent;
• and
• wherein the diamond body includes a ceramic compound formed by reaction of a gaseous species with a getter material during high pressure-high temperature processing.

A bit for drilling subterranean formations comprising a body and a plurality of cutting elements attached to the body, the cutting elements comprising:

• a diamond body comprising:
• a thermally stable region having a material microstructure comprising a plurality of diamond grains bonded together by a reaction product of the diamond grains and a reactant;
• and
• a polycrystalline diamond region extending from the thermally stable region and having a material microstructure comprising a matrix phase of intercrystalline bonded together diamond grains, and plurality of interstitial regions disposed between the intercrystalline bonded together diamond grains and comprising a metal solvent catalyst disposed therein, wherein the diamond body further comprises a ceramic compound comprising an element selected from the group consisting of Nb, Zr, Ti, Mo and combinations thereof formed in situ during a high pressure/high temperature process of forming the diamond body;
• and
• a metallic substrate attached to the diamond body.