Ion Beam Assisted Deposition (IBAD) is a thin film deposition process that combines evaporation with concurrent ion beam bombardment in a high vacuum environment. The evaporant (or coating) material is produced using a high power electron beam. Components are placed in the vapor, and individual coating atoms or molecules condense and stick on the surface of the component to form the coating. Simultaneously, highly energetic ions (100-2000 eV) are produced and directed at the component surface. The component is situated at the intersection of the evaporant and ion beam.

The concurrent ion bombardment differentiates IBAD from other thin film deposition techniques. It significantly improves adhesion, and permits control over film properties such as morphology, density, stress level, crystallinity, and chemical composition. Ion bombardment intermixes coating and substrate atoms and eliminates the columnar microstructure often observed in conventional, low temperature physical vapor deposition to create very dense, adherent film structures.

IBAD is capable of depositing many different types of metallic and ceramic coatings. Examples of metallic coatings include silver, gold, platinum, and titanium. These films are typically used for increasing biocompatibility and providing conductivity (Spi-Met®), or for increasing radiopacity (Spi-Sight®). Silver coatings are also used to create antimicrobial surfaces on percutaneous and implantable medical devices (Spi-Argent®). Representative ceramic coatings include aluminum oxide, silicon dioxide, titanium nitride, and aluminum nitride. These coatings are used primarily for improving wear resistance (Spi-Ceramic®).