Molecular Photoswitches for Information Processing: From Simple to Complex

Andréasson, J. and Pischel, U. (2022). In Molecular Photoswitches: Chemistry, Properties, and Applications, Volume 1, Z.L. Pianowski (Ed.). https://doi.org/10.1002/9783527827626.ch33

Logic operations are typically performed by silicon-based microprocessors. Over the last 30 years, research groups are aiming at teaching molecules to do so too. This research field is referred to as molecular logic, or molecular information processing. While the inputs and outputs in the traditional devices are voltage driven, the molecular versions can in principle be operated by any kind of stimuli that change a measurable molecular property. Photochromic compounds are par excellence candidates when all-photonic molecular devices are desired. This chapter summarizes the efforts of the authors along these lines over the last 15 years.