SCANNING TUNNELING AND ATOMIC-FORCE MICROSCOPY STUDIES OF LANGMUIR-BLODGETT-FILMS

In recent years, scanning probe microscopes (SPM), specifically the scanning tunneling (STM) and atomic force microscope (AFM), have made it possible to study molecules and molecular assemblies with nanometer (nm) or better resolution not only in vacuum, but also in air and solution. The scanning probe microscopes are able to obtain information about a material's topography (surface structure) by scanning a very sharp probe extremely close to it. Many advances in Langmuir-Blodgett (LB) film high technology, in particular molecular electronics, have occurred over the last few years. Some of these advances came from the results of scanning probe microscopy. This report discusses the contributions of scanning probe microscopy to the field of Langmuir-Blodgett films over the last nine years.