Abstract
Synthetic homopolypeptides, such as poly(γ-benzyl-L-glutamate)(PBLG) bear oc-helical secondary structure and exhibit liquid-crystalline behavior. These properties are useful for a range of materials applications, among them nonlinear optics (NLO). The α-helical structural motif of PBLG can be exploited by regular substitution of chemical functionalities in the sidechains along the main axis. Macromolecular order can then be established in polypeptide thin films using Langmuir-Blodgett (LB) deposition. Monolayer films of PBLG have been investigated by surface spectroscopic techniques, without having an understanding of the local morphology.Atomic force microscopy (AFM) has the potential for elucidating the microstructure of LB films, providing a mechanism for relating differing morphologies to deposition parameters. Excessive contact forces exerted by an AFM tip at small size scales, however, make the technique less viable for delicate organic monolayers. By intermittently striking a sample surface with a sharp probe, the tapping mode AFM provides a means for nondestructively imaging such soft samples.
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