Advanced biomimetic implants based on nanostructured coatings synthesized by pulsed laser technologies.

Calcium Phosphates (CaPs) are alternative substitutes for human bones and so primary candidates for the manufacturing of medical implants. Unfortunately, they do not withstand stress in bulk. To overcome this obstacle, a solution was developed to cover the metallic implants with functional biomimetic layers. Pulsed laser deposition (PLD) proved to be a competitive method to grow high-quality biomaterial thin films. Nevertheless, in case of very complex delicate biomolecules (such as organic and biopolymeric materials), PLD provokes an irreversible damage of the chemical bonds and thus the compositional change in the deposited film. This disadvantage is eliminated by matrix assisted pulsed laser evaporation (MAPLE), capable to transfer large molecular mass compounds at very low temperatures. We review in this chapter the potential of PLD applied to different types of simple and/or doped CaP coatings. We also scrutinize the extension of MAPLE to the synthesis of hybrid organic-inorganic bionanocomposites for advanced biomimetic implants. Expected development and progress of the new in-vitro and in-vivo studies are discussed.