1.
J Chem Phys
; 126(1): 011101, 2007 Jan 07.
Article
in English
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-17212480
ABSTRACT
Microcrystals of a diarylethene {1,2-bis[5'-methyl-2'-(2"-pyridyl)thiazolyl]perfluorocyclo-pentene} undergo jumps upon photoirradiation. These photochromic crystals present molecular structural changes upon irradiation with ultraviolet light because of reversible photocyclization reactions. When the energy absorbed by crystals reaches about 10 microJ, the uniaxial stress induced in the crystal lattice relaxes through directional jumps. If one prevents crystals from jumping, then parallel, equidistant cracks appear on crystal surfaces. These photomechanical effects could result from a Grinfeld surface instability.