Abstract: A process for producing a thin layer of at least one amphiphilic compound on a carrier is described, in which an at least partially oriented layer of molecules of an amphiphilic compound is produced by compression and expansion at the interface between a fluid and a polar liquid, and a solid carrier is moved through the layer so that the layer is transferred thereto. For this purpose, a directional flow of the polar liquid which contains amphiphilic molecules in solution or as insoluble molecules in a spread form on the surface is generated in an approximately horizontally located channel and the flow is dammed at a barrier which is located at the fluid/polar liquid interface. The flow velocity and, if appropriate, the concentration of the amphiphilic molecules are selected such that a layer of amphiphilic molecules is continuously formed by compression in front of the barrier at the fluid/polar liquid phase boundary.