TOFSIMS and XPS characterisation of strontium in amorphous calcium phosphate sputter deposited coatings

Strontium (Sr) substituted calcium phosphate (CaP) coatings have stimulated a lot of interest as Sr is known to provide osteoconductive properties. Most the work date with respect has focused on creation crystalline Sr-substituted hydroxyapatite (HA), opposed amorphous coatings. The reported here utilises radio frequency magnetron sputtering deposit both CaP and Sr-containing their characterisation using X-Ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (XPS) Time-of-Flight Secondary Ion Mass Spectrometry (ToF-SIMS). coating had high Ca/P atomic ratio at 1.81 ± 0.02. containing was shown contain (Ca + Sr)/P ratios 1.18 0.05 1.49 0.05, respectively. Peak-fitting overlapping Sr3d P2p region also showed presence previously unreported doublets for each element. ToF-SIMS results highlighted that homogeneously distributed across surface via detailed chemical mapping experiments. This study can be used use analytical techniqes important understanding uppermost