NOVELTY - Forming a film (105) on top of a substrate (100), comprises: applying a composition on a surface of the substrate, where the composition comprises a polymerizable intermediate product in a solution in a solvent, and the inter mediate product is obtained from a complex metal oxide precursor composition; forming a layer of the composition on the surface; removing a solvent from the layer; and annealing the intermediate product in the layer to produce a metal oxide film having a thickness of 1-500 nm with a single deposition run to form a crosslinked metal oxide film.    USE - The method is useful for forming: a film on top of a substrate, which is useful in an organic light emitting device, a solar cell, an optical thin film filter (all claimed), packaging, optical diffractive grating applications and hybrid thin film diffractive grating structures; optical and electrical coatings; high dielectric constant (high-k) gate oxides and interlayer high-k dielectrics; anti-reflection coatings; etch and chemical mechanical polishing stop layers; or high refractive index abrasion resistant coatings.    ADVANTAGE - The method: can be carried out at relatively low temperatures; provides the films that exhibit high quality, high refractive index, high dielectric constant, and improved processability, stability, and optical and thermal conductivity properties; and is simple.    DETAILED DESCRIPTION - Forming a film (105) on top of a substrate (100), comprises: applying a composition on a surface of the substrate, where the composition comprises a polymerizable intermediate product in a solution in a solvent, and the inter mediate product is obtained from a complex metal oxide precursor composition; forming a layer of the composition on the surface; removing a solvent from the layer; and annealing the intermediate product in the layer to produce a metal oxide film having a thickness of 1-500 nm with a single deposition run to form a crosslinked metal oxide film. The complex metal oxide precursor composition comprises either: at least one metal halogenide of formula (I), and at least one metal alkoxide of formula (II); or at least one metal compound of formula (III), where at least one of the metal oxide precursors of the complex metal oxide precursor composition is reacted with an organic compound containing at least one functional group capable of reacting with the metal element of the precursor to produce the intermediate product.    M1 = metal comprising titanium, germanium, tin, antimony, tantalum or hafnium;    X1 = halogenide;    m = valence of the metal;    R1 = optionally branched, aliphatic or alicyclic alkyl (optionally substituted by 1-3 OH, carboxy, anhydride, oxo, nitro or amido; and    n, p = 0 to m, where sum of n and p is equal to m.    DESCRIPTION OF DRAWING(S) - The figure shows a schematic view of the various steps of lithographic processing of negative tone materials.    Substrate (100)    Film (105)    Photomask (110)