Characterization of TiO/sub 2/ films prepared by reactive magnetron sputtering at different oxygen partial pressures

Summary form only given. The titanium oxide film is expected to be used as a coating for cardiovascular devices due to its excellent biocompatibility. Titania thin films were synthesized by the pulse unbalanced magnetron sputtering method. The effect of oxygen partial pressures on film properties has been studied. Titanium oxide films were deposited onto Ti/sub 6/Al/sub 4/V, glass and a silicon(100) wafer by DC reactive magnetron sputtering from a titanium metallic target with a purity of 99.9% in an Ar+O/sub 2/ gas mixture. Film structure and composition of the films were determined by X-ray diffraction (XRD) in a grazing angle configuration and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). The mechanical properties of the films were assessed by a ball-on-disk tribometer and Knoop micro-hardness tester, respectively. The light absorption behavior of films was measured by a UV755B spectrophotometer and the band gap of the films was calculated using the absorption curve. The sessile method of contact angle measurement was carried out on a JY-82 goniometer on sheet samples using eight kinds of liquids. The surface energy of the films was calculated using the contacting angle.