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Published online by Cambridge University Press: 11 February 2011
The effects of metal doping on the surface properties of sputtered silicon dioxide (SiO2) thin films were investigated. The aluminum (Al), titanium (Ti) or zirconium (Zr) doped SiO2 thin films were deposited onto glass by RF magnetron sputtering. The optical transmission spectra of the films were almost same as that of undoping film when the doping concentration was lower than ∼3 at %. The contact angle of water droplets was measured for the films as a function of elapsed time. The hydrophobicity, resulting from the adsorption of organic substances in the atmosphere, was significantly altered by the metal doping. The surface reactivity of the film with a fluoroalkyl isocyanate silane was also changed. These alternations were due to the difference in surface OH group density of the film, which was induced by the metal doping. These results suggest that the surface properties can be modified by controlling the surface OH group density of the films.