Study of the surface characteristics of magnetron-sputter calcium phosphate coatings.

Plasma-sprayed hydroxylapatite coatings on metals such as titanium have been investigated for many years and have shown a good biocompatibility when implanted in bony tissues. Radiofrequency magnetron sputtering was used as an alternative method to deposit thin films of hydroxylapatite on titanium substrates. X-ray diffraction demonstrated that the sputtered layer was crystalline with a preferred (001) crystallographic orientation with the C-axis perpendicular to the substrate surface. Scanning electron microscopy showed that the deposited films had a uniform and dense structure. The calcium phosphate ratio varied between 1.5 and 2.0, as determined by energy-dispersive X-ray analysis. The in vitro dissolution appeared to be determined by the degree of the coating's crystallinity.