A cutting tool is a cutting tool comprising a substrate and a coating film disposed on the substrate, in which the coating film includes a first layer, the first layer is composed of an alternate layer where a first unit layer and a second unit layer are alternately stacked, the first unit layer is composed of Ti.sub.1-a-bAl.sub.aCe.sub.bN, a is between greater than or equal to 0.350 and equal to or less than 0.650, b is between greater than or equal to 0.001 and equal to or less than 0.100, the second unit layer is composed of Ti.sub.cSi.sub.1-cN, and c is between greater than or equal to 0.20 and equal to or less than 0.99.

A method of modifying surfaces of diamond particles comprises forming spinodal alloy coatings over discrete diamond particles, thermally treating the spinodal alloy coatings to form modified coatings each independently exhibiting a reactive metal phase and a substantially non-reactive metal phase, and etching surfaces of the discrete diamond particles with at least one reactive metal of the reactive metal phase of the modified coatings. Diamond particles and earth-boring tools are also described.

A method of modifying surfaces of diamond particles comprises forming spinodal alloy coatings over discrete diamond particles, thermally treating the spinodal alloy coatings to form modified coatings each independently exhibiting a reactive metal phase and a substantially non-reactive metal phase, and etching surfaces of the discrete diamond particles with at least one reactive metal of the reactive metal phase of the modified coatings. Diamond particles and earth-boring tools are also described.

A polycrystalline diamond compact (PDC), which is attached or bonded to a substrate to form a cutter for a drill bit, is comprised of sintered polycrystalline diamond interspersed with a seed material which has a hexagonal close packed (HCP) crystalline structure. A region of the sintered polycrystalline diamond structure, near one or more of its working surfaces, which has been seeded with an HCP seed material prior to sintering, is leached to remove catalyst. Selectively seeding portions or regions of a sintered polycrystalline diamond structure permits differing leach rates to form leached regions with differing distances or depths and geometries.

A polycrystalline diamond compact (PDC), which is attached or bonded to a substrate to form a cutter for a drill bit, is comprised of sintered polycrystalline diamond interspersed with a seed material which has a hexagonal close packed (HCP) crystalline structure. A region of the sintered polycrystalline diamond structure, near one or more of its working surfaces, which has been seeded with an HCP seed material prior to sintering, is leached to remove catalyst. Selectively seeding portions or regions of a sintered polycrystalline diamond structure permits differing leach rates to form leached regions with differing distances or depths and geometries.

A cutting element may include a substrate, an upper surface of the substrate including a crest, the crest transitioning into a depressed region, and an ultrahard layer on the upper surface, thereby forming a non-planar interface between the ultrahard layer and the substrate. A top surface of the ultrahard layer includes a cutting crest extending along at least a portion of a diameter of the cutting element, the top surface having a portion extending laterally away from the cutting crest having a lesser height than a peak of the cutting crest.

A cutting element may include a substrate, an upper surface of the substrate including a crest, the crest transitioning into a depressed region, and an ultrahard layer on the upper surface, thereby forming a non-planar interface between the ultrahard layer and the substrate. A top surface of the ultrahard layer includes a cutting crest extending along at least a portion of a diameter of the cutting element, the top surface having a portion extending laterally away from the cutting crest having a lesser height than a peak of the cutting crest.

A polycrystalline diamond compact includes a polycrystalline diamond material having a plurality of grains of diamond bonded to one another by inter-granular bonds and an intermetallic gamma prime () or -carbide phase disposed within interstitial spaces between the inter-bonded diamond grains. The ordered intermetallic gamma prime () or -carbide phase includes a Group VIII metal, aluminum, and a stabilizer. An earth-boring tool includes a bit body and a polycrystalline diamond compact secured to the bit body. A method of forming polycrystalline diamond includes subjecting diamond particles in the presence of a metal material comprising a Group VIII metal and aluminum to a pressure of at least 4.5 GPa and a temperature of at least 1,000 C. to form inter-granular bonds between adjacent diamond particles, cooling the diamond particles and the metal material to a temperature below 500 C., and forming an intermetallic gamma prime () or -carbide phase adjacent the diamond particles.

A polycrystalline diamond compact includes a polycrystalline diamond material having a plurality of grains of diamond bonded to one another by inter-granular bonds and an intermetallic gamma prime () or -carbide phase disposed within interstitial spaces between the inter-bonded diamond grains. The ordered intermetallic gamma prime () or -carbide phase includes a Group VIII metal, aluminum, and a stabilizer. An earth-boring tool includes a bit body and a polycrystalline diamond compact secured to the bit body. A method of forming polycrystalline diamond includes subjecting diamond particles in the presence of a metal material comprising a Group VIII metal and aluminum to a pressure of at least 4.5 GPa and a temperature of at least 1,000 C. to form inter-granular bonds between adjacent diamond particles, cooling the diamond particles and the metal material to a temperature below 500 C., and forming an intermetallic gamma prime () or -carbide phase adjacent the diamond particles.

An earth-boring tool includes a body, a plurality of blades attached to the body and extending at least to a nose region of the earth-boring tool, a first rotatable cutting structure assembly coupled to the body, and a second rotatable cutting structure assembly coupled to the body. The first rotatable cutting structure assembly includes a first leg and a first rotatable cutting structure rotatably coupled to the first leg. A first cutting profile of the first rotatable cutting structure extends at least from a gage region of the earth-boring tool and at least partially through a cone region of the earth-boring tool. The second rotatable cutting structure assembly includes a second leg and a second rotatable cutting structure rotatably coupled to the second leg. A second cutting profile of the second rotatable cutting structure extends only from the gage region of the earth-boring tool and to an innermost boundary of a nose region of the earth-boring tool.