Modification of the structure and composition of Ca10(PO4)6(OH)2 ceramic coatings by changing the deposition conditions in O2 and Ar

Hydroxyapatite Ca-10(PO4)(6)(OH)(2) (HAp) is a material considered to be used to form structural matrices in the mineral phase of bone, dentin and enamel. HAp ceramic materials and coatings are widely applied in medicine and dentistry because of their ability to increase the tissue response to the implant surface and promote bone ingrowth and osseoconduction processes. The deposition conditions affect considerably the structure and bio-functionality of the HAp coatings. We focused our research on developing deposition methods allowing a precise control of the structure and stoichiometric composition of HAp thin films. We found that the use of O-2 as a reactive gas improves the quality of the sputtered hydroxyapatite coatings by resulting in the formation of films of better stoichiometry with a fine crystalline structure.