Silica films doped with malachite green (MG) or uranine (UR) were deposited on the surface of a glass slide at 35 degrees C from saturated hydrofluorosilicic acid solution containing these dyes. The steady fluorescence of MG was observed in silica films, which was absent in aqueous solutions. The fluorescence lifetime of MG in silica films was about 60 times longer than that in aqueous solutions. No absorption changes of MG-doped silica films by the LPD method were observed after storing 24 h in 25% ammonia solution, while those prepared by the sol-gel method showed changes immediately after immersion. The absorption and fluorescence spectra varied slowly by the heat treatment and by the immersion in hydrochloric solutions, indicating the deprotonation and protonation of MG. The delayed fluorescence of UR was observed in silica films. All these results indicated organic dyes were fixed rigidly in silica films prepared by the present LPD method.