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The optoelectronic properties of photochromic materials change in response to exposure to certain wavelengths of light. These alterations arise from specific electronic reorganization of conjugation pathways due to photochemically-triggered cyclizations and conformational changes. Polymers with photochromic switches pendent to the backbone retain monomer-like optoelectronic photoswitching responses while incorporation of photochromic switches directly into a conjugated backbone allows for greater, and often more dramatic, influence on the polymer optoelectronic properties. This ability for light-controlled variation of optoelectronic properties has driven research in the field of main-chain photochromic conducting polymers, and recent developments in this area will be discussed.
Harvey et al. (2011) studied this question.