%0 Journal Article %J Thin Solid FilmsThin Solid Films %D 2007 %T Preparation and characterization of ultra-thin sol-gel films. %A Shapiro, Leora %A Marx, Sharon %A Mandler, Daniel. %K silica film thickness homogeneity sol gel process substrate %X The formation and characterization of nanometer thick sol-gel films are reported. The films were prepd. by spin-coating of a dild. soln. of a silane precursor on a no. of different substrates. The effect of diln., rotation speed and nature of substrate on the thickness and homogeneity of the films was examd. Characterization of the films was carried out by profilometry, reflectance spectroscopy, at. force microscopy, adhesion test and electrochem. We find that the diln. factor has a pronounced effect on the film thickness. Moreover, the time of diln., namely, whether diln. was carried out before or after a period of hydrolysis, has a noticeable effect on the thickness as well as on the permeability of embedded species. [on SciFinder(R)] %B Thin Solid FilmsThin Solid Films %I Elsevier B.V. %V 515 %P 4624 - 4628 %8 2007/// %@ 0040-6090 %G eng %N 11