WO2002013979A1

WO2002013979A1 - Device for performing workings on monolayers of particles or molecules

Info

Publication number: WO2002013979A1
Application number: PCT/IT2001/000441
Authority: WO
Inventors: Gilles Picard; Jean Beliveau; Giorgio Marinoni
Original assignee: Nano World Projects Corporation
Priority date: 2000-08-17
Filing date: 2001-08-07
Publication date: 2002-02-21
Also published as: AU2001282515A1

Abstract

A device (12) is disclosed for performing workings on monolayers of particles or molecules (3), comprising at least one vessels (22) containing at least one working triggering means (20) that allows performing workings on the monolayers of particles or molecules (3); moreover, the vessel (22) is equipped with pumping means (P1, P2) adapted to perform such workings. A further arrangement of the device comprises detaching means (22', 24) for the monolayer.

Description

DEVICE FOR PERFORMING WORKINGS ON MONOLAYERS OF PARTICLES OR MOLECULES

The present invention refers to a device that can be applied to a system for performing workings on monolayers of particles or molecules.

The prior art document WO-A-98/53920 discloses a process called Dynamic Thin Laminar Flow (DTLF) for the continuous production of monolayers. However, the use of the process disclosed in this Patent Application shows some potential problems due to an insufficient control of the liquid subphase of the thin laminar flow on the cylinder till the deposition surface.

By the way, in the device according to Fig.s 1 and 2 of document WO-A-98/53920 that enacts the related process described therein, it could be possible to have leakages of the liquid subphase between the injection block and the deposition substrate. Moreover, the subphase deriving from the monolayer formation of the rotary element was also transferred in a different proportion according to the nature of liquids and solids. According to this prior patent, the pumping systems are external fittings that can only scavenge the liquid subphase excess. It was not possible in that case to further control the subphase itself. Another problem is given by the fact that, at the very beginning of the production, immediately after the injection of particles in the subphase coating the rotary element, the particles are adsorbed at the gas- liquid interface and are guided forward. The accumulation of the very first row of particles on an edge is the beginning of the monolayer preparation. However, the introduction of the transfer zone between the rotary element and the deposition surface creates a new problem, that is the beginning of the monolayer production. The distance between the rotating element and the deposition surface could be too wide to allow a controlled beginning of the monolayer preparation. Therefore, an edge is necessary to start producing the monolayer. In general, the problem with this type of prototype is that the monolayer transfer occurs without really having the chance of controlling or modifying the amount, the quality and the effect of liquid under the monolayer during the transfer itself. In the present document, the term "monolayer" designates a two-dimensional arrangement of particles. However, the monolayer could itself be chemically modified and coated, completely or partly, with another layer of material or molecules, that are organised on in bulk. The term "particles" refers to any type of colloids, molecules, virusses, cells, proteins, atoms, etc.

Object of the present invention is solving the above prior art problems, providing a device that can be applied to a system for performing workings on monolayers of particles or molecules, in which such device manages to efficiently control the thin laminar flow subphase to the depositon devices. This control is useful in order to perform industrial applications.

Another object of the present invention is providing a device that improves the detachment of the monolayer from the underlying thin liquid film, allowing an easier deposit of the monolayer on surfaces that are both of the stiff type and of the moving belt type. This operation, too, is useful in order to perform industrial applications.

The above and other objects and advantages of the invention, as will appear from the following description, are obtained through a device as claimed in Claims 1 and 26. Preferred embodiments and non trivial variations of the present invention are included in the depending Claims.

The present invention will be better described by some preferred embodiments thereof, provided as a non-limiting example, with reference to the enclosed drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a side view of a generic embodiment of a system to which the device according to the present invention can be applied;

Figure 2 is an enlarged side view of the device of Fig. 1;

Figure 2A is a side view of a specific embodiment of the system in Fig. 1 to which the device of the present invention is applied;

Figure 3 is a sectional view made along line III-III in Fig. 2A;

Figures 4 to 7 are schematic views of possible arrangements of the device of the present invention; Figure 8 is a side view of a second preferred embodiment of the device according to the present invention to be used for depositing monolayers on stiff supports;

Figure 9 is a detailed view of Fig. 1;

Figure 10 is a side view of a third embodiment of the device according to the present invention to be used for depositing monolayers on moving belts;

Figure 11 is a partial side view of a fourth preferred embodiment of the device of the invention, that can be used on horizontal hydrophilic supports; and

Figure 12 is a detailed view of the device in Fig. 11. With reference to the Figures, the device of the present invention can be applied to a system for performing workings on monolayers of particles or molecules 3 that first of all comprises means 8, 9 for injecting a thin liquid film 2 containing the particles or molecules 3 dispersed therein on the external surface of a rotary element 1, preferably a roller or a sphere, that rotates along direction A in Fig.s 1 and 2. Such means 8, 9 preferably comprise an injection module 8, that is equipped with at least one opening with a respective inlet and outlet channel 9 for the thin liquid film 2.

The above-mentioned system further comprises means 8, 10, 11 for adjusting the chemical characteristics of the particles or molecules 3 in order to take the particles or molecules 3 to the surface of the thin liquid film 2. According to a non-limiting embodiment of the invention, these means 8, 10, 11 perform such action by adjusting the surface charge density of the particles or molecules 3: for such purpose, these means 8, 10, 11 comprise an injection module 8 (that can be identical or different from the previous module 8), that is equipped with at least two openings with respective inlet and outlet channels 10, 11 for the fluid: the channels 10, 11 are at least composed of a channel 10 through which adsorption reagents are injected to be put in contact with the particles 3 in suspension in the thin liquid film 2 to adjust such surface charge density; and a channel 11 for sucking the thin liquid film 2 after the monolayer 5 deposition. The channel 11 can be used also for inputting other fluid containing other reagent substances .

The system to which the device of the invention is applied then comprises in a known way means (that in the embodiment shown are always composed of the rotary element 1) for transporting the particles or molecules 3 adsorbed at the gas- liquid interface of the thin liquid film 2 to a uniform monolayer 5.

Then, the system comprises the device 12 of the invention for working on the uniform monolayer 5 and means 14 for transferring the worked monolayer 5 from the surface of the thin liquid film 2 to a substrate, that commonly is solid.

In particular, the device 12 for working on the uniform monolayer 5 is composed of at least one vessel 22 containing a working triggering means 20 (commonly water or other adequate fluids) . The triggering means 20 are contained in an elongated groove 25 and form a shallow layer on which the monolayer 5 is placed.

Moreover, the means 14 for transferring the worked monolayer 5 from the surface of the thin liquid film 2 to a substrate comprise at least one roller 18 adapted to move at least one belt 16 placed around it and moving along the direction of arrow B in Fig. 1; the belt 16 receives the monolayer 5 going out of the working means 12 and transports it towards the destination substrate.

In particular, in the system being shown, the device 12 for working on the uniform monolayer 5 also comprises means 13 for triggering the workings on the monolayer 5 after its formation through the level variation of triggering means 20, such as water.

As shown in detail in Fig. 2, two pumps PI and P2 are provided (but the device of the present invention could equally well operate with a single pump PI that performs both pumping and suction) to respectively carry out suction and pumping of the fluid 20 in vessel 22. Through such actions, the pumps PI and P2 allow checking the volume of the triggering means 20 to guarantee an efficient working according to the applications, and simultaneously they allow controlling the composition of the triggering means 20 in order to carry out a chemical working on the monolayer 5 according to the applications.

Moreover, the means for controlling the composition of the triggering means 20 comprise means for controlling a subphase amount to be left on the deposition surface, while the means for controlling a composition of the triggering means 20 comprise means for completely or partly modifying the resulting subphase after having prepared the monolayer above the thin laminar flow towards another subphase (gaseous, liquid or solid subphase) .

In order to carry out the above-described process steps, it will be necessary to take into account the presence of a Transfer Zone (composed of the device 12 and the related edge 13) between the thin laminar flow, where the monolayer is formed, and the deposition area, where the monolayer is transferred onto a solid support to be stored or further treated.

In the Transfer Zone where the volume check is performed, the device 12 is preferably composed of a vessel 22 full of a fluid (triggering means) 20. The monolayer or the thin film coming from the thin laminar flow area is sent to the gas-liquid interface into the vessel 22 and guided forward towards the other end of the vessel 22. A fraction of the thin laminar flow above the rotary element is guided into the vessel 22 subphase. This will modify the subphase volume. This could alter the monolayer deposition characteristics. In this example, the subphase composition of the vessel 22 is different from the underlying monolayer subphase coming from the thin laminar flow area. The variation of subphase volume and composition of the vessel 22, separately or simultaneously, could modify the monolayer itself and its deposition characteristics. In order to check the deposition conditions with respect both to the level and to the composition of the subphase in the transfer zone, drainage and injection devices (the above- described pumps Pi and P2 or other means) can be used, as well as all other devices that can check the interface level of the subphase monolayer. Usually injection devices are used to insert washing or reacting fluids.

A complete Transfer Zone could also be any combination of the two above-mentioned types. This combination can assume several forms:

- a plurality of independent Transfer Zone vessels 22 grouped in series (Fig. 4), in series-parallel (Fig. 6) or in another way;

- a single vessel 40 containing a plurality of internal partitioning elements 42, in which such partitioning elements 42 are of the removable type or not, narrow or porous, partial or complete, rotating or not, and in which such partitioning elements 42 operatively realise as many vessels composing independent Transfer Zones.

As well known, the currently-used adsorption reagents with the system of the invention are composed of an acidic solution at a pH equal to 4.0 for polystirene particles 2 or protein molecules, or are composed of a 70% acetonitrile solution for carbon 60 particles 2 in a toluene film. Another possible case is when the adsorption reagents 10 are a saline solution, in particular a cadmium sulphate solution for protein molecules 2 of the holoferritin type.

Finally, the thin liquid film 2 has a thickness on the order of microns.

With reference to Fig.s 8 to 10, a second and third embodiments of the device of the present invention are shown, to be used respectively for depositing monolayers on stiff supports and on moving belts. Referring to Fig. 8, the device comprises, in addition to the part having the same reference number and therefore the same function as the previously-described ones, means 14', 16' for transferring the monolayer onto the surface of a substrate 18, 20, and in particular this embodiment of the device of the invention further comprises detaching means 22 for separating the monolayer from the thin liquid film. In fact, such detaching means 22 are a sort of "help" fr the detachment of the monolayer from the film and for such purpose they are placed between the means 1 for transporting the monolayer and the means 14', 16' for transferrinf the monolayer itself.

Figures 8 to 10 show two possible variations of use of the device; in particular, Fig. 10 shows the case in which the substrate on which the monolayer is transferred is a moving belt 18'. In such case, the means (14', 16') for transferring the monolayer on the surface of the moving belt 18' are composed of at least one cylinder 14 ' opposed to and cooperating with the rotating element 1. The belt 18' on which the monolayer is transferred is then conveyed and collected for the following operations to be performed downstream on the monolayer .

In Fig.s 8 and 9, instead, the device is adapted to operate on a substrate that is composed of a stiff surface 20'. For such purpose, the means (14', 16') for transferring the monolayer on the stiff surface 20' are composed of a slider 16 moving with the stiff surface 20' (in the arrangement shown the movement occurs along a vertical direction, since the monolayer can be more easily placed by adopting such moving direction) . As can be well seen in Fig. 8, once having transferred the monolayer on the stiff surface 20', it can be possible to rotate such surface along the direction of arrow B', through suitable means (not shown) , in order to take it in the horizontal state, in order to more easily operate on it.

In order to better realise the detachment of the monolayer, that is the peculiar feature of this embodiment of the device of the invention, such detaching means 22' are preferably composed of at least one elongated element equipped with a lip 24 adapted to cooperate with the means 1 for transporting the monolayer, in order to detach therefrom the monolayer itself when it comes in contact with the lip 24.

The lip 24 is preferably made of Teflon® and, on its surface in contact with the monolayer, it shows a concavity facing inwards, to further facilitate the detachment operation of the monolayer.

Finally, the device of the invention can also be equipped with means 30 for adjusting the supply liquids flows, that are equipped in particular with at least one threaded adjusting screw 32.

With reference now to Fig.s 11 and 12, a fourth embodiment of the device of the invention is shown, that can be used for depositing monolayers on horizontal hydrophilic supports.

The device of Fig.s 11 and 12 first of all comprises, as known, an assembly 3' supported by a support structure 2': such assembly 3' comprises means (not shown in detail because they have already been described above) for injecting a thin liquid film containing the particles or molecules dispersed therein on the external surface of a rotating element 1. Such means commonly comprise an injecting module through which adsorption reagents are injected to be put in contact with particles being suspended in the thin liquid film; the injection module also allows sucking the thin liquid film after having deposited the monolayer on the substrate 20'. Moreover, the assembly 3' comprises means (not shown) for adjusting the chemical characteristics of particles or molecules, that operate in order to take the particles or molecules on the surface of the thin liquid film. Such means usually comprise an injection module (that can be the one mentioned above or a similar module) , that allows adjusting the surface charge density of the particles or molecules by injecting adsorption reagents.

Moreover, the device comprises means 1 for transporting the particles or molecules adsorbed at the gas-liquid interface of the thin liquid film into a uniform monolayer, where such means 1 can also be composed of the same above-mentioned rotating element 1.

In particular, the device further comprises detaching means 22' to separate the monolayer from the thin liquid film, as said before. As shown in particular in Fig. 2, the device in this case is adapted to operate on a substrate 20' that is composed of a stiff surface. For such purpose, the device is realised so that it can be movable along the horizontal direction on the stiff surface 20' in order to deposit the monolayer thereon. To better realise the detachment of the monolayer, that is the peculiar feature of the device of this embodiment, such detaching means 22' are preferably composed of at least one elongated element equipped with a lip 24 adapted to cooperate with the means 1 for transporting the monolayer, in order to detach the monolayer itself therefrom when it comes in contact with the lip 24.

The lip 24 is preferably made of glass or a noble metal and generates, with its shape as an asymmetrical scale, a sort of mechanical compaction of the monolayer being deposited, in a similar way to the lateral compression of the Langmuir-Blodget method.

Finally, the device of this embodiment can be also equipped with means 11" for adjusting the supply liquids flows, that are equipped in particular with a threaded adjusting screw.

With the device of this embodiment, it is then possible to perform horizontal workings on any type of substrate 20', including the hydrophilic ones (that was not possible with previous devices of this kind) . For example, in this case, the substrate 20' can be composed of a clean glass plate or a sheet of mica. It is obviously also possible to use a substrate 20' of the hydrophobic type, such as for example a substrate 20' composed of a glass or metal plate.

With the above-described device and system, it is possible to realise the following desired effects : a) controlling the subphase amount to be left on the deposition surface; b) avoiding leakages and other uncontrolled modifications of this type; c) being able to partly or totally modifying the resulting subphase after the monolayer preparation above the thin laminar flow towards another subphase (gaseous, liquid or solid subphase) that could have on the monolayer the following effects: not having any residual after the subphase evaporation in or on the monolayer, and between the

monolayer and the deposition surface; inducing reactions (biological, chemical, physical, electrical, mechanical and others) on the monolayers;

- inserting into the monolayers, between monolayer and substrate, or on the substrate, some additives, or modifying the deposition surface before, during or after the monolayer deposition, for various purposes, such as softening or hardening, adsorption (glue or chemical or physical lubrication, etc.), absorption (chemical or physical absorption) , surface reaction catalysis, electric effects (conduction, insulation, semiconduction, superconduction) , magnetic effects

(information storage, electromagnetic effects, opto-magnetic effects, magneto-optical effects, etc.), optical effects (phosphorescence, fluorescence, diffraction, absorption, diffusion, reflection, etc.), photochemical effects

(photosynthesis, photochromatism, etc.); - producing a gaseous subphase under the monolayer with bubbles, a continuous gas layer or other gaseous volume forms. These gaseous volumes could be inserted or created in situ through some chemical or physical reactions or processes. These gaseous volumes could be attached to the deposition surface, under the monolayer surface, into the space between the mentioned surface, or in a combination of the three previously-mentioned positions; suspending the monolayer on a magnetic or electrostatic field in order to avoid any contact with solids or liquids. This is a way to perform reactions or exchanges with gases or magnetic or electric fields on both faces during the transfer towards the deposition area and forwards; - being able to completely or partly modify the subphase of monolayer after having prepared the monolayer above the thin laminar flow using the Transfer Zone between the rotary element 1 and the deposition surface through any combination of operations such as heating, cooling, lighting, radiating, vibration or sound, turbulences, electric field or current, magnetic field or pulse and contact with a solid surface, always for the above-mentioned purposes.

Finally, the device of the present invention allows providing a new way to start the production of monolayers with the Transfer Zone between the rotary element 1 and the deposition surface. At the beginning of the monolayer preparation, the accumulation of particles realising the very first row of the monolayer 5 occurs if the edge 13 is placed in the particles path in order to block their movement. After having initialised the monolayer preparation, the edge 13 must not prevent the monolayer from reaching the deposition area.

The edge 13 could by any one among: a solid removable barrier; a solid barrier exceeded by the increase of liquid level in the Transfer Zone; another film at the gas-liquid interface; a liquid or gas counterflow; a magnetic or electric field; a thermal gradient; an acoustic or vibration zone.

Some preferred embodiments of the present invention have been previously shown and described: obviously, it will be clear for the skilled people in the art that numerous variations and modifications can be readily performed, that fall within the scope of the invention as pointed out in the enclosed claims. In particular, the inventive device, as already partly stated hereinabove, can be very efficiently and advantageously employed at industrial level to realise applications that are of a very widespreaded interest, among which the following can be mentioned as non limiting examples: use of magnetic particles for magnetic data storage disks; ultrafiltration; and superconduction .

Claims

1. Device (12) for performing workings on monolayers of particles or molecules (3) characterised in that it comprises at least one vessel (22) containing at least one working triggering means (20) , said at least one triggering means (20) allowing to perform workings on said monolayers of particles or molecules (3), said vessel (22) being equipped with pumping means (Pi, P2) adapted to perform said workings.

2. Device (12) according to Claim 1, characterised in that said triggering means (20) are composed of a fluid.

3. Device (12) according to Claim 2, characterised in that said fluid triggering means (20) are contained in an elongated groove (25) and form a shallow layer in which the monolayer (5) is placed.

4. Device (12) according to any one of the previous Claims, characterised in that it further comprises means (13) for triggering workings on said monolayer (5) after its formation by changing the triggering means (20) level.

5. Device (12) according to any one of the previous Claims, characterised in that said pumping means (PI, P2) are adapted to control a volume of said triggering means (20) to guarantee an efficient working according to applications.

6. Device (12) according to any one of the previous Claims, characterised in that said pumping means (PI, P2) are adapted to control a composition of said triggering means (20) in order to perform a chemical working on said monolayer (5) according to applications .

7. Device (12) according to Claim 6, characterised in that said pumping means (PI, P2) for controlling a composition of said triggering means (20) comprise means for controlling a subphase amount to be left on the deposition surface.

8. Device (12) according to Claim 6, characterised in that said pumping means (Pi, P2) for controlling a composition of said triggering means (20) comprise means for completely or partly modifying the resulting subphase after having prepared the monolayer above the thin laminar flow towards another subphase (gaseous, liquid or solid subphase) .

9. Device (12) according to Claim 6, characterised in that said pumping means (PI, P2) for controlling a composition of said triggering means (20) allow not having any residues after the subphase evaporation in or on the monolayer, and between the monolayer and the deposition surface.

10. Device (12) according to Claim 6, characterised in that said pumping means (Pi, P2) for controlling a composition of said triggering means (20) allow inducing reactions of the biological, chemical, physical, electrical or mechanical type on the monolayers .

11. Device (12) according to Claim 6, characterised in that said pumping means (PI, P2) for controlling a composition of said triggering means (20) allow inserting some additives into the monolayer.

12. Device (12) according to Claim 6, characterised in that said pumping means (PI, P2) for controlling a composition of said triggering means (20) allow inserting some additives between the monolayer and the solid substrate.

13. Device (12) according to Claim 6, characterised in that said pumping means (PI, P2) for controlling a composition of said triggering means (20) allow introducing some additives onto the monolayer.

14. Device (12) according to Claim 6, characterised in that said pumping means (Pi, P2) for controlling a composition of said triggering means (20) allow modifying the deposition surface before, during or after the monolayer deposition.

15. Device (12) according to Claim 6, characterised in that said pumping means (PI, P2) for controlling a composition of said triggering means (20) allow producing a gaseous subphase under the monolayer with bubbles, a continuous gas layer or other gaseous volume forms, said gaseous volumes being inserted or created in situ through chemical or physical reactions or processes.

16. Device (12) according to Claim 6, characterised in that said pumping means (Pi, P2) for controlling a composition of said triggering means (20) allow producing a gaseous subphase under the monolayer with bubbles, a continuous gas layer or other gaseous volume forms, said gaseous volumes being attached to the deposition surface, under the monolayer surface, into the space between said surfaces, or in a combination of the three previously-cited positions.

17. Device (12) according to Claim 6, characterised in that said pumping means (PI, P2) for controlling a composition of said triggering means (20) allow suspending the monolayer onto a magnetic or electrostatic field in order to avoid any contact with solids or liquids, thereby allowing to perform reactions or exchanges with gases or magnetic or electric fields on both faces during the transfer towards the deposition area and forwards.

18. Device (12) according to Claim 6, characterised in that said pumping means (Pi, P2) for controlling a composition of said triggering means (20) allow partly or totally modifying the subphase or monolayer after the monolayer preparation above the thin laminar flow using a Transfer Zone between said rotary element (1) and the deposition surface.

19. Device (12) according to Claim 18, characterised in that said partial or total modification occurs through any combination of operations such as heating, cooling, lighting, radiating, vibration or sound, turbulences, electric field or current, magnetic field or pulse and contact with a solid surface.

20. Device (12) according to any one of Claims 11 to 19, characterised in that said workings are performed for several purposes, such as softening or hardening, adsorption (glue or chemical or physical lubrication, etc.), absorption (chemical or physical absorption) , surface reaction catalysis, electric effects (conduction, insulation, semiconduction, superconduction) , magnetic effects (information storage, electromagnetic effects, opto-magnetic effects, magneto-optical effects, etc.), optical effects (phosphorescence, fluorescence, diffraction, absorption, diffusion, reflection, etc.), photochemical effects (photosynthesis, photochromatism, etc.).

21. Device (12) according to Claim 1, characterised in that the accumulation of particles realising the very first row of the monolayer (5) occurs when said means (13) are in the path of the particles (3) to block the movement of said particles (3) , said means (13) not preventing the monolayer (5) from reaching the deposition area.

22. Device (12) according to Claim 21, characterised in that the means (13) are composed of an edge (13) chosen from: a solid removable barrier; a solid barrier exceeded by the increase of liquid level in the Transfer Zone; another film at the gas-liquid interface; a liquid or gas counterflow; a magnetic or electric field; a thermal gradient; an acoustic or vibration zone.

23. Device (12) according to any one of the previous Claims, characterised in that it is composed of a plurality of independent vessels (22) grouped in series, that is, adapted to form a row.

24. Device (12) according to any one of the previous Claims, characterised in that it is composed of a plurality of independent vessels (22) grouped in series-parallel, that is, adapted to form an array of vessels (22) .

25. Device (12) according to any one of the previous Claims, characterised in that it is composed of a single vessel (40) containing a plurality of internal partitioning elements (42), said partitioning elements (42) being of the removable type or not, narrow or porous, partial or complete, rotating or not, said partitioning elements (42) operatively realising as many independent vessels.

26. Device for preparing monolayers of particles or molecules and for depositing them on surfaces, comprising:

- means (8, 10, 11) for injecting a thin liquid film containing said particles or molecules dispersed therein on an external surface of a rotating element (1) ; means (8, 9) for adjusting chemical characteristics of said particles or ^' molecules, said means (8, 9) for adjusting chemical characteristics taking said particles or molecules on a surface of said thin liquid film;

- means (1) for transporting said particles or molecules adsorbed at a gas-liquid interface of the thin liquid film into a uniform monolayer; and

- means (14', 16') for transferring said monolayer on a surface of a substrate (18', 20'), characterised in that it further comprises detaching means (22') to separate said monolayer from said thin liquid film, said detaching means (22') being placed between said means (1) for transporting and said means (14', 16') for transferring.

27. Device according to Claim 26, characterised in that said substrate on which said monolayer is transferred is a moving belt (18').

28. Device according to Claim 27, characterised in that said means (14', 16') for transferring said monolayer on the surface of a moving belt (18') are composed of at least one cylinder (14') opposed to and cooperating with said rotating element (1) .

29. Device according to Claim 26, characterised in that said substrate on which said monolayer is

[ transferred is a stiff surface (20').

30. Device according to Claim 29, characterised in that said means (14', 16') for transferring said ^•monolayer onto a stiff surface (20') are composed of a slider (16) moving with said stiff surface (20') .

31. Device according to any one of Claims 26 to 30, characterised in that said detaching means (22') are composed of at least one elongated element equipped with a lip (24) adapted to cooperate with said means (1) for transporting in such a way as to detach said monolayer therefrom when it comes in contact with said lip (24) .

32. Device according to Claim 31, characterised in that a surface of said lip (24) in contact with said monolayer is concave inwards.

33. Device according to Claim 31, characterised in that said lip (24) is shaped as an asymmetric scale.

34. Device according to Claim 33, characterised in that said surface of said substrate (20') onto which said monolayer is transferred is an horizontal stiff surface.

35. Device according to Claim 33 or 34, characterised in that said lip (24) is made of glass .

36. Device according to Claim 33 or 34, characterised in that said lip (24) is made of a noble metal.

37. Device according to Claim 33, characterised in that said substrate (20') onto which said monolayer is transferred is hydrophilic.

38. Device according to Claim 37, characterised in that said hydrophilic substrate (20') is composed of a clean glass plate or a sheet of mica.

39. Device according to Claim 33, characterised in that substrate (20') is hydrophobic.

40. Device according to Claim 39, characterised in that said hydrophobic substrate (20') is composed of a glass or metal plate.

41. Device according to Claim 26, characterised in that said means (8, 10, 11) for injecting a thin liquid film comprise an injection module (8), said module (8) being equipped with at least two openings with respective inlet and outlet channels (10, 11) for the thin liquid film, said channels (10, 11) being at least composed of a channel (10) through which adsorption reagents are injected to be put in contact with said particles suspended in said thin liquid film; and a channel (11) to suck the thin liquid film after the monolayer deposition.

42. Device according to Claim 26, characterised in that it is further equipped with means (30) for adjusting supply liquids flows.

43. Device according to Claim 42, characterised in that said adjusting means (30) are equipped with at least one threaded adjusting screw (32) .

44. Device according to Claim 26, characterised in that said means (8, 9) for adjusting chemical characteristics of said particles or molecules comprise an injection module (8), said module (8) being equipped with at least one opening with respective adjustment channel (9), said means (8, 9) allowing to adjust a surface charge density of said particles of molecules by injecting said adsorption reagents.

45. Device according to Claim 26, characterised in that said means (1) for transporting said particles or molecules are composed of the same rotating element (1) onto which said particles or molecules have been deposited.