In this paper, the scientific progress in the field of thin film materials and their associated sensing technologies are described comprehensively to address the directions for future research and developments as per the need of modern-day technologies. To begin with, we briefly discussed the fundamental synthesis approaches for advanced thin films with an emphasis on the properties necessary for controlled fabrication (e.g., the elemental ratio and spatial arrangement). Subsequently, we explored the control, characterization, and optimization of hybrid porous thin films with respect to diverse sensing applications. The application of hybrid porous thin film materials has also been discussed in relation to the mechanisms used for biological, optical, electrical, acoustic, and other advanced sensing techniques (e.g., surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS)). Finally, conclusions are drawn to highlight the current status of thin film-based sensing technology along with its opportunities and challenges.

在本文中，对薄膜材料及其相关传感技术领域的科学进展进行了全面描述，以根据现代技术的需求为未来的研究和开发指明方向。首先，我们简要讨论了高级薄膜的基本合成方法，重点是受控制造所必需的属性（例如元素比率和空间排列）。随后，我们针对各种传感应用探索了混合多孔薄膜的控制，表征和优化。混合多孔薄膜材料的应用也已针对生物，光学，电，声和其他先进传感技术（例如，表面增强拉曼散射（SERS））。最后，得出结论以突出基于薄膜的传感技术的现状以及其机遇和挑战。