METHOD FOR PROCESSING A DIAMOND MATERIAL WORK-PIECE

摘要

A method for processing diamond material to change its physical appearance. The diamond is brought into contact with the surface of one or more copper machining part. This assembly is heated in an atmosphere that contains oxygen to thermo-chemically remove carbon from the diamond. The atmosphere contains a reducing agent to control the growth of copper oxide on the machining parts by reducing the copper oxide to copper. Carbon atoms are removed at the interaction region where the surface of the diamond makes contact with the copper on the surfaces of one or more machining part. The rate of carbon removal follows an Arrhenius temperature equation. The diamond and/or the machining parts are moved relative to each other, where each component of the relative speed is less than the material removal rate to thereby remove material thereby shaping the diamond as specified.