A Light‐Driven Supramolecular Optical Switch

Abstract

Switched on: The fluorescence emission of a DNA-based optical switch can be reversibly switched from blue to green using modulating light of different wavelengths (see picture). The device is based on the hybridization of two pyrene-functionalized DNA strands in the presence of a photochromic azobenzene-containing effector ligand. Hybridization occurs only with the cis-configured ligand, and results in pyrene excimer fluorescence.