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The present invention provides a method for coating a metal alloy component of a medical implant, particularly a component of a heart valve made of a titanium base alloy, with a strongly adhered coating of diamond-like carbon. The method uses ion beam assisted deposition to form a gradient at the su

The present invention provides a method for coating a metal alloy component of a medical implant, particularly a component of a heart valve made of a titanium base alloy, with a strongly adhered coating of diamond-like carbon. The method uses ion beam assisted deposition to form a gradient at the surface of the titanium alloy comprising metal alloy/metal-silicide/(silicon or germanium)/silicon- or germanium-carbide/DLC.

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[ We claim:] [20.] A titanium base component of a medical implant comprising a coating of diamond-like carbon produced by a process comprising:exposing said component to a vacuum at a pressure of about 10.sup.-5 torr or less;heating said component to at least about 600.degree. C.-650.degree. C. (111

[ We claim:] [20.] A titanium base component of a medical implant comprising a coating of diamond-like carbon produced by a process comprising:exposing said component to a vacuum at a pressure of about 10.sup.-5 torr or less;heating said component to at least about 600.degree. C.-650.degree. C. (1112.degree.-1202.degree. F.);depositing onto said component an intermediate material selected from the group consisting of silicon, germanium, and a combination thereof, in an amount sufficient to form an intermetallic material selected from the group consisting of titanium-silicide, titanium-germanide, and a combination thereof at said outer surface of said substrate cohesively bonded to an interlayer of said intermediate material;substantially simultaneous with said depositing of said intermediate material, bombarding said intermediate material with a first energetic beam of ions at a first energy, a first ion arrival ratio, and for a first amount of time sufficient to form said intermetallic bonding layer cohesively bonded to said interlayer;condensing a diamond-like carbon precursor onto said interlayer at a second temperature and for a second amount of time sufficient to form a film of precursor molecules on said interlayer, wherein said second temperature is sufficiently low that said diamond-like carbon precursor is not vaporized off of said substrate;substantially simultaneous with said depositing of said intermediate material, bombarding said diamond-like carbon precursor with a second energetic beam of ions at a second energy, a second ion arrival ratio, and for a third amount of time sufficient to form a carbide bonding layer selected from the group consisting of silicon-carbide, germanium-carbide, and a combination thereof, cohesively bonded to a coating of diamond-like carbon.