Surface modification with Disperse Red-1 (DR-1), which is a chromophore for optical second harmonic generation (SHG), was carried out by using cyclic peptides as a scaffold for DR-1. Cyclic dipeptide and cyclic octapeptide having DR-1 at the side chain were synthesized. The surfaces of quartz or glass substrates were covered with the cyclic peptides by transfer of the monolayer spread on water subphase (Langmuir-Blodgett film) or by cast of thin film. The planar cyclic skeleton lay down on the surface with face-to-face orientation. The orientation of the DR-1 unit in the side chain of the cyclic peptides was evaluated by polarization modulation Fourier transform infrared reflection-absorption spectroscopy and SHG measurement. The results indicate that the DR-1 unit was fixed on the surface with anisotropic orientation due to the scaffold ability of the cyclic peptides. (c) 2005 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.