Fig. 1

Schematic showing the steps involved in formation of Langmuir-Blodgett films. Each image shows the trough set-up and a side-on view of the interface. a Amphiphile is spread onto the sub-phase on a Langmuir trough resulting in a 2D ‘gaseous’ arrangement of amphiphiles (i.e. no interactions between molecules). b Barriers are compressed to reduce the surface area of the interface and molecules begin to interact forming a 2D ‘liquid expanded’ phase. c On further compression the amphiphiles are self-assembled into a monolayer forming a 2D ‘liquid compressed’ phase. d When a monolayer has formed it can be transferred onto a solid support via vertical deposition. Red arrows indicate barrier movement direction