Unique Surface Modifications on Diamond Thin Films

Diamond thin films are touted to be excellent in surface-sensitive sensing, electro-mechanical systems, and electrochemical applications. However, these applications often entail patterned active surfaces and subtle chemical surface modifications. But due to diamond’s intrinsic hardness and chemical inertness, surface patterning (using micro-machining and ion etching) and chemical surface modifications, respectively, are very difficult. In the case of surface patterning, it is even more challenging to obtain patterns during synthesis. In this chapter, the direct patterning of sub-wavelength features on diamond thin film surface using a femtosecond laser, rapid thermal annealing as a means to prepare the diamond thin film surface as an efficient direct charge transfer SERS substrate (in metal/insulator/semiconductor (MIS) configuration), and implantation of 14N+ ions into the surface and sub-surface regions for enhancing the electrical conductivity of diamond thin film to a certain depth (in MIS configuration) will be discussed encompassing the processing strategies and different post-processing characteristics.

Surface functionalization of poly(ε-caprolactone) and poly(3-hydroxybutyrate) with VEGF

In this study, surface modifications for the biodegradable polymers poly(ε-caprolactone) (PCL) and poly(3-hydroxybutyrate) [P(3HB)] were developed in order to improve their suitability as scaffold material for bioartificial vessel prostheses. The challenge of wet-chemical surface modifications is to avoid bulk adjustments resulting in undesired changes in mechanical properties of these polymers. Nevertheless subsequent immobilization and controlled release of potent angiogenic biomolecules like vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) from the polymer surface is required. In order to improve the biocompatibility of PCL and P(3HB), terminal hydroxyl groups on the surface of these polymers were generated via oxygen (O