ULTRATHIN FILMS OF POLYMERS - PLENARY LECTURE

The Langmuir-Blodgett technique provides for the possibility to prepare ultrathin layers of macromolecules on solid, planar substrates. In this context a series of novel polymers was synthesized and tested with the aim to develop the materials science background and the methodology to fabricate devices based on such ultrathin layers. This made it necessary to develop or adapt a number of methods to characterize these ultrathin layers at surfaces with regard to homogeneity, orientation phenomena, optical properties and transport behavior. The design of macromolecules described as "hairy-rods" proved to be particularly successful and novel types of supramolecular architectures could be realized best described as "molecularly reinforced liquids". First attempts to build prototype devices based on layered assemblies of these nonconventional polymers are mentioned.