MOLECULAR SWITCHING IN PHOSPHOLIPID AND AZOBENZENE MIXED MONOLAYERS USING MAXWELL-DISPLACEMENT-CURRENT-MEASURING TECHNIQUE

Molecular switching in phospholipid and azobenzene mixed monolayers wa s examined by Maxwell-displacement-current (MDC) measurement in combin ation with the surface pressure measurement. It was found that the mol ecular aggregation of pure azobenzene monolayers was reduced by the in troduction of phospholipids possessing unsaturated long alkyl chains ( DOLPC) or saturated long alkyl chains (D-DPPC). The surface pressure c hange was detected from mixed monolayers over the entire range of mole cular area with alternating irradiation of ultraviolet and visible lig ht. On the one hand, MDC was generated from DOLPC-azobenzene mixed mon olayers over the entire range of the molecular area, whereas the gener ation of MDC from D-DDPC-azobenzene mixed monolayers was limited in th e molecular area. We discussed the generation of MDC from phospholipid s-azobenzene mixed monolayers in combination with the surface pressure change measurement.