The principal thrust of the research addresses the issue of what chemical and structural requirements are needed to optimize coating durability, bond strength, and surface activity. The ultimate goal is to provide improved materials for biomedical applications. The ion beam sputter process will provide biocompatible coatings with significantly improved properties, i.e., bond strength, fatigue properties, as compared to currently used coating procedures. This detailed study of material properties will provide the necessary knowledge to optimize properties which are critical for the long- term fixation of medical devices.
