Photophysical and photochemical switches based on twisted intramolecular charge transfer (TICT) states

TICT states, accessible in twisted multichromophoric systems, are nonradiative funnels to the ground state in many dyes. By controlling these funnels, faster saturable absorbers for subpicosecond laser pulses can be developed. Oriented assemblies of TICT molecules, as in liquid crystalline polymers, are expected to exhibit light-induced macroscopic charge separation. Chemical approaches to supramolecular bistable species are also shown.