FLUORESCENCE SNOM OF DOMAIN-STRUCTURES OF LB FILMS CONTAINING ELECTRON-TRANSFER SYSTEMS

The morphology of a mixed monolayer consisting of a metal complex and stearic acid on mica was investigated by SNOM. In the topographic shea r-force image, round domains of several micrometers diameter protruded several Angstrom from the monolayer surface. The fluorescence pattern revealed by SNOM (excitation at 488 nm, emission at 590 nm) matched t he monolayer topography, and a higher fluorescence intensity was detec ted from the interdomain space. The photo-bleaching kinetics and integ rated fluorescence of the different phases of the monolayer film were analyzed, yielding estimates of relative quantum yields and surface de nsities of the dyad. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserve d.