Effect of Substrates on the Infrared External Reflection Spectra of Langmuir–Blodgett Films

The Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) polarized external reflection (ER) spectra of 9-monolayer cadmium stearate Langmuir–Blodgett (LB) films were measured on various kinds of materials (Ge, ZnSe, and GaAs) in order to investigate whether their spectra could be used for a quantitative analysis of the molecular orientation. The FTIR ER spectra on double-side-polished substrates with LB films on both sides would not fit in, even qualitatively, with the 5-layer system (IR//air/LB/substrate/LB/air) theoretical prediction. On the other hand, the ER spectra of a single-side-deposited LB film (IR//air/substrate/LB/air) were qualitatively explained by a simple 3-layer system (IR//substrate/LB/air) in which the reflection in the substrate was treated as a single reflection. This indicated that the output rays from the substrate in the conventional 5-layer system did not interfere sufficiently with each other. A 5-layer system calculation without any interference effect qualitatively explained the ER spectra of LB films on a double-side-polished substrate. It was eventually concluded that double-side-polished materials are not suitable for a precise analysis of ER spectra, since it is almost impossible to estimate the area ratio of interferential and non-interferential rays.