Hydroxyapatite (HA) biocoatings were obtained using two different deposition methods: sol-gel and sputtering. A direct comparison of films obtained using different techniques is necessary because of possible formation of multi-phases and components in HA films. HA films were investigated using spectroscopic ellipsometry (SE) as a powerful method to evaluate composition and structural properties of the films. For both types of films, sputtering and sol-gel, a weak dispersion of the refractive index within the wavelength range 0.4-0.7 pm was found. This corresponds to a high energy bandgap and a high optical transparency in the UV-VIS range. The internal porosity varying in a wide range in the sol-gel films was evaluated using a modeling of SE data. Additionally to SE Studies, structural, chemical and optical characterizations of the Films were performed using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and X-ray diffraction (XRD). Two absorption bands observed in the wavelength ranges 550-600 cm(-1) and 1000-1200 cm(-1) can be attributed to the major absorption modes associated with HA in agreement with published data. Prom XPS analysis, the atom ratio Ca/P was found for sol-gel films close to the stoichiometric value 1.67. For sputtering films, a higher Ca/P ratio of about 2.1 was estimated. However, similar FTIR spectra have been recorded for both sputtering and sol-gel films. XRD Studies show also similar crystallization conditions by annealing at temperatures higher than 500 degrees C. (C) 2008 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.