The oldest forms of molecular switches are pH indicators which display distinct colors as a function of pH. Another widely studied class are photochromic compounds which are able to switch between conformations when irradiated by light of a specific wavelength.
The oldest forms of molecular switches are pH indicators which display distinct colors as a function of pH. Currently synthetic molecular switches are of interest in the field of nanotechnology for application in molecular computers. A widely studied class are photochromic compounds which are able to switch between electronic configurations when irradiated by light of a specific wavelength.