Both odd and even numbers of layer of silicon naphthalocyanine Langmui
r-Blodgett films can align nematic liquid crystal molecules perpendicu
lar to the substrates. An atomic force microscope (AFM) was used to ob
serve the morphology of the Langmuir-Blodgett monolayer. The alignment
mechanism seems mainly connected with Van der Waal's forces and the m
olecular scale ''grooves''. (C) 1997 Elsevier Science B.V.