A method of producing a coating for a medical device having high surface area and low porosity. The coating is formed by a PVD process in which a primary metallic component is deposited in the presence of a secondary reactive component in a high energy environment such that surface diffusion and intermixing can occur prior to the solidification of the condensate. The resulting coating consists of a zone 2 microstructure having a [1, 1, 1] crystal orientation, which provides a surface having well-defincd pyramidal-shaped structures formed thereon.
