Abstract
Photoswitchable molecules are able to isomerize between two metastable forms through light stimuli. Originally being studied by photochemists, this type of molecule has now found a wide range of applications within physics, chemistry and biology. The extensive usage of photochromic molecules is due to the two isomers having fundamentally different physical and chemical properties. The most important attribute of a photoswitch is the photoisomerization quantum yield, which defines the efficiency of the photoisomerization event. Here we show how to determine the photoisomerization quantum yield in the solid state and in solution when taking thermal processes into account. The described method together with provided software allows for rapid and accurate determination of the isomerization process for this important class of molecules.
Highlights
The single most important system property of a photochromic molecule is the photo induced reaction that interconverts the two isomers
To give a comprehensive theoretical background combined with all needed practical information for determining photochemical quantum yields in solution as well as solid state and provide the necessary software needed for data analysis
We first give a summary of the rate equation describing the system, followed by showing how these equations can be used to determine the photoisomerization quantum yield in solution for simple cases
Summary
The single most important system property of a photochromic molecule is the photo induced reaction that interconverts the two isomers (the photoisomerization quantum yield). We here describe how the efficiency of this reaction can be determined both in solution and in the solid state, and how thermal relaxation can be taken into account in the analysis. A kinetic model of the isomerization process is described and used to determine the photoisomerization quantum yield in a set of practical examples, both in solution and in the solid state. An easy to use program that can fit experimental data to the kinetic model is provided (Supplementary Software S1 and S2). To give a comprehensive theoretical background combined with all needed practical information for determining photochemical quantum yields in solution as well as solid state and provide the necessary software needed for data analysis
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