Characterization of thin films for biomedical applications

This chapter describes some of the most commonly used techniques for evaluating thin film coatings found in biomedical devices. This includes the analysis of inorganic coatings and the study of the adsorption of proteins onto substrates in the form of nanomolar- to micromolar-thick films. These techniques can be used in other applications such as biofilms. The first part deals with measurement of the physical characteristics of films such as the thickness and structure. This is followed in the second part by a description of techniques to determine the chemical composition of thin films. Finally, techniques for assessing the biological properties of the coatings are described. The principles of each technique are described and illustrated with examples relevant to biomedical applications.