Effects of ultraviolet/ozone irradiation on glassy-like carbon film for the bioMEMS applications

Abstract Carbon based micro/nanoelectromechanical systems are promising for miniaturized biomedical devices for the superior properties such as biocompatibility. In this study, glassy-like carbon film was modified by ultraviolet/ozone (UVO) irradiation. The effects of UVO to the surface states, mechanical property and tribological property were investigated. The surface roughness, surface energy, adhesion and friction of the glassy-like carbon films increase with the modification time. The wear resistance of the glassy-like carbon films decreases with the irradiation time. The modified carbon film was also used to evaluate the growth of endothelial cells. The results show that the efficiencies of cell adhesion, diffusion, and proliferation are affected by treatment time. This study shows UVO irradiation of glassy-like carbon film has great potential for bioMEMS applications like tissue engineering, point-of-care diagnostics and implantable microdevices.