Enhancement of structural stability of mesoporous silica thin films prepared by spin-coating

A mesoporous silica film was prepared on a silicon substrate using a spin-coating process followed by a tetraethyl orthosilicate (TEOS) vapor treatment. The TEOS-treated mesostructured silica film did not contract during calcination, showing high structural stability. Thermal treatment without TEOS vapor was not effective to enhance the structural stability of mesostructured films. A flat mesoporous silica film about 250 nm thick was grown from the silicon substrate. No silica particle was deposited from TEOS vapor on the surface of the film, suggesting the penetration of TEOS vapor into the film. A periodic porous structure was observed in the FE-SEM image of the cross section of the mesostructured film. This indicates that the channels run predominantly parallel to the surface of the silicon substrate. FTIR studies suggested that the silanol groups in the film significantly decreased after the TEOS treatment. TEOS molecules penetrate into an originally deposited silicate film and react with the silanol groups. The densified silica wall has high structural stability and hardly contracts under a calcination process. The developed TEOS-treated mesoporous silica film is a promising material such as chemical sensors, low-k films, and other optoelectronic devices.