Generation of Maxwell-displacement current due to tilting phase transition of amphiphile monolayers on water surface

Generation of Maxwell-displacement current (MDC) across monolayers on the water surface due to the untilting to tilting (U --> t) phase transition of floating amphiphile monolayer is studied. This generation of MDC is analyzed using one parameter, the tilt angle theta(t) from the water surface normal. Here, this parameter is used to express the distortion of orthogonally hexagonal orientation of the molecules that causes the distortion of the projection of the hexagon on the water surface. We discuss the generation of a change in MDC across fatty acid monolayers observed in the condensed region in association with the U --> t phase transition. (C) 2002 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.