Molecularly thin films with customized optical and electronic properties are being researched for a wide range of applications - from photoenergy conversion and sensor technology to gas separation. A fundamental manufacturing principle of these films is the arrangement of molecules at interfaces, in particular the water-air interface, which can be observed by means of changes in interfacial tension.
In everyday life, similar processes take place in the arrangement of surfactants at interfaces. Their effect on the interfacial tension can be clearly demonstrated by changes in the buoyancy of small metal objects. The corresponding molecular processes in the production of optoelectronically active films are demonstrated.