4% (1.6%), respectively, both measured by SLIM. The average diameter of the pores was 20 nm as calculated from top surface SEM images (Figure 3a), and a channel-like mesoporous structure was observed in cross-sectional MDV3100 SEM images (Figure 3b). The ATR-FTIR spectrum of fpSi (Figure 4a) shows a band at 2,100 cm-1 due to the presence of Si-H x groups (x 1 to 3) [19], a 905-cm-1 band assigned to the SiH2 scissor mode [20], and a 667-cm-1 band due to SiH wagging mode. The small band at 1,050 cm-1 due to Si-O stretching

modes suggests a small amount of oxidation has occurred after etching [21]. Figure 3 SEM images of the porous silicon. (a) Top view showing the pore openings in fpSi. (b) Partial cross-section showing the rugate modulations in porosity in fpSi. (c) Cross section of chitosan-coated porous silicon (pSi-ch). Figure 4 ATR-FTIR spectra of (a) freshly etched pSi (fpSi), (b) freshly etched pSi with a layer of chitosan (pSi-ch). Chitosan, a positively

charged natural polysaccharide which is both biodegradable and biocompatible, was investigated as a protective coating for pSi due to its reported potential use in drug delivery studies [22]. A film of chitosan was deposited on the porous Si surface by spin coating. In order to evaluate the infiltration of the chitosan into the pores of the fpSi sample, cross-sectional SEM and reflectance spectra were compared before and after chitosan coating. The ZD1839 range of thickness achieved by spin coating was 8 to 12 μm according to SEM results, with the two well-defined separate layers suggesting the chitosan was mainly present as an adherent layer on top of the porous silicon (Figure 3c). More precise information about the extent of chitosan infiltration into pSi was obtained from reflectance spectra of the hybrid. The reflectance spectra of the fpSi samples coated with chitosan showed a red shift of 8 nm in the maximum of the rugate peak. However, analysis of the thin-film Cell press interference fringes which are also present in the reflectance spectrum allowed more detailed investigation of the

changes to the pore filling. When chitosan is check details spin-coated onto the pSi surface and then warmed slightly, the chitosan forms an optically smooth film on top of the pSi layer, which leads to an additional Fabry-Pérot optical interference layer. Therefore, the FFT of the reflectance spectrum displays two major peaks (Figure 5). The position of the peak at an effective optical thickness (EOT) of 60.2 μm (EOT2 = 2n 2 L 2, where n 2 is the effective refractive index of the layer and L 2 is its thickness) is slightly larger than the position of the corresponding peak observed in the FFT spectrum of the unmodified fpSi (59.7 μm). This peak is assigned to the pSi layer initially and to the pSi layer including a small amount of incorporated chitosan after modification. The second major peak in the FFT spectrum appears at an EOT of 77.4 μm (EOT3 = 2n 3 L 3).