Thin Solid Films, Vol.284-285, 122-126, 1996
Deposition of Alternating lb Monolayers with a New Technique
Specific features of deposition methods of alternating Langmuir-Blodgett (LB) monolayers restrict the possibilities of flexible variation of molecule type and conditions of deposition. After pulling out the substrate from water, molecules of the last monolayer are arranged, as a rule, with inert hydrophobic tails in the direction of the air medium. Thus, for example, the adsorption of another compound onto the active hydrophilic surface of a previously deposited monolayer becomes impossible. The proposed idea is to protect the sample after dipping down by a mobile plate situated very near to the surface of the substrate. If the substrate already closed with the plate is pulled out in air, water is held in the gap by capillary forces and protects the monolayer. Then the closed substrate is transferred to another compartment of the LB instrument with a solution of the required composition and temperature for adsorption or deposition. One application of this technique is to include adsorbed layers of soluble proteins into the film without denaturation. To check the possibilities of the method, monocomponent films, alternate-layer structures, and films containing adsorbed proteins were deposited and studied.
Keywords:LANGMUIR-BLODGETT-FILMS