Abstract: A medical implant has a microscopically rough outer coating that serves to bond the implant to animal tissue. The coating is applied to the implant by physical vapor deposition. The coating preferable is applied via a generally oblique coating flux or a low energy coating flux. In some embodiments, the coating has pores. The pores can contain a drug, which can diffuse over a period of time. The coating may be partially nonporous to protect the implant from corrosion. The coating can have an outer porous layer that can bond with animal tissue easily.

Abstract: A medical device has a porous radiopaque coating that can withstand the high strains inherent in the use of such devices without delamination. A coating of Ta is applied to a medical device, such as a stent, by vapor deposition so that the thermomechanical properties of the stent are not adversely affected. The coating preferable has high emissivity.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a medical device having interior and exterior surfaces, the method including the steps of: a) shielding the exterior surface; and, b) exposing the interior surface to a plasma, wherein the shielding of the exterior surface substantially prevents exposure of the exterior surface to the plasma.

Abstract: An inhomogeneous surface is formed on a substrate, such as an orthopedic implant or other surface upon which cell growth is desired, by depositing a discontinuous coating of atoms on the substrate and etching the substrate. The difference in etch rates between the coating and the substrate will produce structures in the nanometer scale. Deposition and etch conditions can be chosen to create structures of a specific size to preferentially bind to specific biological materials.

Abstract: A medical device has a porous metallic coating that can withstand the high strains inherent in the use of such devices without delamination. A coating of the metal is applied to a medical device, such as a stent, by vapor deposition so that the thermomechanical properties of the stent are not adversely affected. The coating preferable has high emissivity. The coating is applied via a generally oblique coating flux or a low energy coating flux.

Abstract: An array of unbalanced magnetrons arranged around a centrally-located space for sputter coating of material from target electrodes in the magnetrons onto a substrate disposed in the space. The electrodes are powered in pairs by an alternating voltage and current source. The unbalanced magnetrons, which may be planar, cylindrical, or conical, are arranged in mirror configuration such that like poles are opposed across the substrate space or are adjacent on the same side of the substrate space. The magnetrons are all identical in magnetic polarity, such that there is no magnetic coupling between either opposed or adjacent magnetrons. A positive plasma potential produced by the AC driver prevents electrons from escaping to ground along the unclosed field lines, increasing plasma density in the background working gas and thereby improving the quality of coating being deposited on the substrate.

Abstract: A cylindrical magnetron having a cylindrical cathode surrounding a cylindrical target. The cathode is without features extending inwards thereof at either end such that the target may be axially removed from or installed into the cathode from either end. The target is positioned and axially retained within the cathode by resilient means operative between the outer surface of the target and the inner surface of the cathode. The invention is especially useful in magnetron assemblies having a plurality of abutting, coaxially disposed magnetrons, wherein all the targets may be removed and replaced from the cathode assembly without requiring disassembly and reassembly of the cathodes.

Abstract: Apparatus for creating subatmospheric high plasma densities in the vicinity of a substrate in a work space for use in magnetron sputter deposition aided by ion bombardment of the substrate. Unbalanced flux lines emanating from cylindrical or frusto-conical targets cannot be captured across the work space, because the energizing magnets are cylindrical, and instead converge toward the axis of the apparatus to provide a high flux density, and therefore a high plasma density, in the vicinity of a substrate disposed in this region. The plasma profile and the coating material profile within the work space are both cylindrically symmetrical, resulting in a consistent and predictable coating on substrates.

Abstract: An improved unbalanced magnetron sputtering (UMS) apparatus in accordance with the invention having a conventional target and arrangement of magnets wherein a central portion of the target is backed by a first magnetic pole and the peripheral portion of the target is backed by a second magnetic pole, the poles carrying unequal numbers of lines of magnetic flux. One of the poles has a greater number of flux lines entering or leaving than does the other pole. The field lines extending from the higher flux pole which do not close in the lower flux pole extend into space in a range of directions and generally toward a substrate to be sputter coated. Adjacent the target and electrically isolated therefrom and overlying the higher flux pole is an independently-controllable auxiliary electrode, preferably a cathode, formed of a non-ferromagnetic material and having a surface facing in the same general direction as the sputterable surface of the target.