[Preparation and infrared spectral analysis of nanoporous silica thin film]

Crack-free homogeneous nanoporous silica films on silicon wafer have been synthesized via supercritical drying of wet gel films obtained by spin-coating the polymeric silica sol, which was prepared using sol-gel method with tetraethoxysilane (TEOS) as precursor. The film is amorphous and nanoporous, and three-dimensional network, cross-linked by the primary particles whose sizes distribute between 10-20 nm showed respectively by XRD and SEM micrograph. The structure of the nanoporous SiO2 thin film was studied by FTIR spectra. The SiO2 thin film was composed of Si-O-Si and Si-OR, and was hydrophobic. The film contained Si-OH and became hydrophilic after being heat-treated at 250 degrees C or above in air. The heat-treated SiO2 thin film becomes hydrophobic by reacting with trimethylchlorosilane(TMCS). The TMCS-modified SiO2 thin film remains hydrophobic and can keep its nanoporous structure at a temperature lower than 450 degrees C in nitrogen.