Current-induced conformational switching in single-molecule junctions

Current-induced conformational switching in single-molecule junctions constitutes a fundamental process in molecular electronics. Motivated by recent experiments on azobenzene derivatives, we study this process for molecules which exhibit two (meta)stable conformations in the neutral state but only a single stable conformation in the ionic state. We derive and analyze appropriate Fokker–Planck equations obtained from a density-matrix formalism starting from a generic model and present comprehensive analytical and numerical results for the switching dynamics in general and the quantum yield in particular.