Langmuir-Blodgett films are provided in which a molecule is chemically
bonded with a bottom electrode substrate as part of a crossed wire device
comprising two electrodes and a molecular layer therebetween. The
molecule, which comprises a switchable moiety and a connecting moiety, is
provided with a photolabile capping group attached to the connecting
moiety. The photolabile capping group temporarily caps the reactive
connecting group of the molecule. The capped molecules are processed to
form a LB film on the water-air interface of water. The films are then
exposed to UV light. The photolabile capping group decomposes to give
back the connecting group, which remains in the water. As the uncapped LB
films are transferred to a bottom electrode substrate, the surface of the
electrode reacts with the reactive connecting group of the molecule to
form a chemically bonded LB layer on the substrate, thereby providing
improved LB films.