Surface properties of nano-structural silicon-doped carbon films for biomedical applications

Hydrogenated diamond–like carbon (DLC) containing Si films were synthesised using the radio frequency plasma enhanced chemical vapour deposition. The results show that all Si–doped DLC films exhibited a similar amorphous structure as non–doped DLC films. Doping Si caused graphitisation of C and reduced the surface hardness. Moreover, the surface roughness of the films decreased with the Si content, which consequently decreased the water contact angle of the film surfaces. Such hydrophilic property reveals the possibility of applying Si–doped amorphous diamond–like carbon films as a bioactive treatment on biomedical implant surfaces.