Light‐Driven Dynamic Pattern Formation

Abstract

The reversible photoconversion of self-assembling dithienylcyclopentene photochromic switches between an aggregated and nonaggregated state is manifest at the macroscopic level by a fully reversible sol–gel phase transition and results in spatially confined structure formation in an inhomogeneous optical field. The reversibility of aggregation is exploited in dynamic pattern formation (see images).