The aim of this study is the elaboration of a high index sol-gel material in order to prepare submicrometric grating. The gratings were obtained after few seconds of UV exposure in one step using an organically modified silica-hafnia matrix. The chemical composition of thin films after UV and annealing treatments were studied using Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy and X-Ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy. The study of optical properties revealed that the annealed films are transparent from 200 to 1000 nm and have a refractive index from 1.550 to 1.701 depending on the hafnium concentration. (C) 2012 Elsevier B. V. All rights reserved.