Rewritable Full-Color Recording in a Photon Mode

Abstract

The recording of stable and reversible full-color images in the photon mode is reported here. The material is composed of the dicholesteryl ester shown in the Figure, which, when mixed with a small amount of an azobenzene derivative known to be photochemically isomerizable, is able to record full-color images (see also cover) in the liquid-crystalline phase (at increased temperature) but not in the solid phase (room temperature), where images are stable for at least a year.