Effect of molecular polarizability distribution on the optical properties of Langmuir–Blodgett films

A model is developed that represents a Langmuir–Blodgett film as an ordered array of molecules treated as a set of polarizable point submolecules. The treatment allows for the typically elongated shape of film-forming molecules. Calculations are performed to show how the linear optical response of the model film depends on the position of one submolecule of high polarizability. A modest difference is found, depending on whether or not the high polarizability is at the end of the molecule. Different ways of calculating total molecular polarizabilities give significantly different results owing to the high anisotropy in the model.