Langmuir–Blodgett film from a bi-molecular layer at air–water interface

Langmuir–Blodgett (LB) films deposited on hydrophilic silicon (0 0 1) from a bi-molecular layer of preformed three-tailed fatty acid salt like ferric stearate (FeSt) have been studied by X-ray reflectivity technique and atomic force microscopy (AFM). Surface topography and electron density profiles (EDPs) show that only monomolecular layer is deposited for each up and down stroke of the substrate through this bi-molecular layer film. EDPs and surface topography analysis also indicate very less deposition of molecules after five strokes of the substrate in contradiction with standard LB deposition. The reason for such kind of deposition of three-tailed molecules has proposed.