Langmuir-Blodgett films. Present status and perspective

Langmuir-Blodgett method is known as a technique to fabricate ultrathin organic films by forming a monomolecular-layer film at air-water interface and subsequently transferring it onto a solid substrate. Thus formed Langmuir-Blodgett (LB) films may exhibit new functions resulting from new aggregation structures of constitutent molecules, which may be useful for future applications in electronics and other fields. It is emphasized that the successful development of LB films of new functions is closely dependent on the introduction of appropriate constituent molecules as well as the characterization and analysis of film properties in the microscopic level. The case of merocyanine-dye LB films is discussed as a typical example. Major subjects in the present-day LB film research and their perspective are also summarized briefly.