The invention is a method of bonding a ceramic part (6) to a metal part (4) by heating a component assembly (2) comprised of the metal part (4), the ceramic part (6), and a thin laminated interlayer material (8) placed between the two parts and heated at a temperature that is greater than the temperature of the eutectic formed within the laminated interlayer material (8) or between the metal part (4) and the laminated interlayer material (8), but that is less than the melting point of the ceramic part (6) or of the metal part (4). The component assembly (2) is held in intimate contact at temperature in a non-reactive atmosphere for a sufficient time to develop a strong bond between the ceramic part (6) and the metal part (4). The compact interlayer material (8) may be further comprised of two or more sets of metal alloy spheres (16, 16) each having distinct compositions. Further, the compact interlayer material (8) may be formed of composite spheres (19) that are each comprised of laminant layers (18, 40) where each laminant layer has a distinct composition.
