Patent ID: 7094709

Claim:
Method of forming a thin film on top of a substrate, comprising the steps of: applying on the surface of the substrate a composition obtained by reacting a metal oxide precursor with an organic compound, which contains at least one functional group capable of reacting with the metal element of the precursor, to produce an intermediate product, which is dissolved in liquid phase solution using a solvent and which can be polymerized; forming a thin layer on the surface; removing the solvent of the solution; and polymerizing the intermediate product into a cross-linked film; wherein the metal oxide precursor comprises a metal halogenide having the formula I MeX m , I wherein Me stands for a metal, X stands for a halogenide and m represents the valence of the metal; or a metal alkoxide, having the formula II MeOR 1 m II wherein R 1 stands for a linear or branched, aliphatic or alicyclic alkyl group, which optionally is substituted by 1 to 3 substitutents selected from the group consisting of hydroxy, carboxy, oxo, nitro and amido groups, and Me and m have the same meaning as above.