Effects of H 2 O 2 and poly͑N-vinylpyrrolidone͒ ͑PVP͒ additives on silica thin-film deposition by the redox reaction of an aqueous ammonium hexafluorosilicate ͑AFS͒ solution with reducing agent dimethylamine borane onto poly͑ethylene terephthalate͒ ͑PET͒ and Si substrates were investigated. The trivial addition of H 2 O 2 ͑a few percent͒ and PVP ͑1 ppm͒ greatly improved the rate of film growth and the stability of reaction solution. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopic and infrared spectroscopic analyses as well as surface ͑scanning electron microscopy͒ and inner phase ͑transmission electron microscopy͒ morphological characterization of the silica films were performed using varying concentrations of PVP. A model for the manner of the silica-film deposition based on the attractive or repulsive interaction among silica spherical granular, PVP, and PET substrate was proposed.Congruently with the development of transparent plastics ͓poly-͑ethylene terephthalate͒ ͑PET͒, poly͑methyl methacrylate͒, and polycarbonate͔ as trendy replacements for glass substrates in the fields of optical devices, displays, and windows of buildings or automobiles, the demand for low-cost preparation methods of silica thin films as an antireflection material, gas barrier coatings, etc. are increasing. 1-5 Previously, we have cathodically prepared silica thin films from an aqueous solution of ammonium hexafluorosilicate ͓͑NH 4 ͒ 2 SiF 6 ͔ onto metal substrates. 6 Moreover, for lower or nonconductive substrates involving PET, an electroless process with reducing agent dimethylamine borane ͑DMAB͒, 7 called redox deposition, has been proposed, and antireflection characteristics to PET have been investigated. 8,9 The redox deposition process includes an initial oxidation and reduction of DMAB and water to alkaline dimethylamine and H 2 gas, respectively, leading to the increase of pH ͑Eq. 1͒ ͓1͔ by which the formation ͑Eq. 2͒ and polymerization ͑Eq. 3͒ of hydroxide species is caused, resulting in silica film depositionThe method can be characterized as an inorganic sol-gel process triggered by the electrochemical reaction ͑Eq. 1͒ in an aqueous media and using inorganic silicon source, where advantageous cost effectiveness of preferential silica formation in the vicinity of substrate, free from organic solvents, alkoxides, and heat-treatment, over the conventional sol-gel method can be claimed. Our previous investigation on the time course of the redox deposition has shown that the essential film growth starts after an induction period that is shorter in the case of a higher initial concentration of DMAB. 8 Moreover, an excellent antireflection film ͑0.3% at 550 nm͒ was obtained by the two-step immersion process from comparable highly DMAB-concentrated ͑200 mmol dm −3 ͒ solutions. 9 Although higher initial DMAB concentration is effective for the initial reaction rate, the excess use of DMAB is costly and results in un-needed formation of silica particles in the solution bulk. Therefore, adequate agents activating DMAB decomposition and preventing the...