5. Photophysics of azobenzene

The azobenzene molecule is a molecular system that enables mechanical movements to be actuated when the system is subjected to an external stimulus such as light. These movements can lead to changes in the switch's conformation and environment. The molecule is in two different states, which reverse when a stimulus is applied.

These photoisomerization processes modify absorption spectra and can produce variations in the physicochemical properties of molecules such as ion complexation, refractive index differences, electrochemical behavior and conformational changes in polymer matrices. There may also be variations in the organization of large assemblies of molecules, as in gels or liquid crystals. When polarized light is used, photoisomerization often induces a reorganization of chromophores, which can be measured using recordings of circular dichroism spectra....