Surface modifications induced by scanning force microscopy on Langmuir-Blodgett films

One of the key points for the development of molecular manipulation based technologies is the availability of techniques capable to operate in such a dimensional range. The Scanning Probe Microscopes as well as the Langmuir-Blodgett film deposition technology have always been the best candidates for such a task. In this paper the authors present a method that allows one to obtain controlled surface modifications of cadmium arachidate Langmuir-Blodgett multilayers through Scanning Force Microscopy. Variable depth permanent ablations at the submicron scale have been produced as a function of applied force and scanning speed. In view of an "organic microelectronics technology" this technique can be envisaged as the organic analog of the microelectronics lithographic techniques.