The effect of the modification of the structure of azobenzene molecule by introduction a variety of functional groups on the photoisomerization in Langmuir-Blodgett and vacuum evaporated films has been investigated. The switching effect of the absorption, the surface potential and the electrical properties in thin layers of compounds has been discussed. A novel approach to the design of azobenzene amphiphiles, such as introduction of large bulky substituents in the molecule providing for a free volume necessary for the trans-to-cis photoisomerization, gave a number of valuable photochromic materials for investigation of reversible optically induced switching processes.