Patent ID: 7294356

Claim:
A method of providing an intraluminal device with a radiopaque coating, comprising: forming an intraluminal device; recognizing that the intraluminal device is to include a radiopaque coating for improved radiopacity; and depositing a radiopaque coating having a thickness of not more than about 15 μm to at least a portion of the intraluminal device by applying the coating in a plurality of layers, each layer having a thickness of not more than 5 μm; wherein the coating is applied in the plurality of layers to prevent the intraluminal device from rising significantly in temperature during coating; wherein the plurality of layers are applied to prevent the intraluminal device from rising in temperature above 400° C. during coating; wherein the depositing of the radiopaque coating involves employing a voltage of 610±5 volts DC, a power of approximately 5 kW, a sputtering rate of approximately 2600 Å/min and a current of 8.2±0.1 Amp DC.