The layered structure of the LB films of merocyanine (MS)-arachidic acid (C
-20)-n-octadecane (AL(18)) ternary system has been studied by means of the
X-ray diffraction technique. Besides the homogeneously-stacked films of ter
nary system, heterogeneously-stacked films composed of alternate stacking o
f bilayers of the mixed system and the pure C-20 were fabricated for compar
ison. Two different regimes are recognized in the X-ray diffraction profile
s of the homogeneously-stacked films, indicating that the MS-MS and the C-2
0-C-20 bilayer unit cells are responsible for the lower-order and the highe
r-order peaks, respectively.