Photonics of nanostructured systems based on photochromic spiro compounds

A review of the results of studies on photoinduced aggregation of photochromic spiro compounds of the class of spiropyrans and spirooxazines is presented. The possibility to form aggregates of photoinduced species of various types, in particular, H and J aggregates, in liquid and solid polymer solutions as well as in photochromic polymers, amorphous films, and mono-and polymolecular layers is shown. The main fields of applications of nanostructured photochromic systems are considered.