Photosensitive Molecular Switches: From Isolated Molecules to Processes

Dear Colleagues,

The development of molecular switches using small photochromes (azobenzenes, spiropyrans, stilbenes, etc.) is critical for many fields of modern nanotechnology, ranging from organic electronics and sensing to biomedical applications. This requires not only (i) understanding the switching effects triggered by light on the monomolecular scale and (ii) the coupling between a photochrome and a surrounding bulk medium, such as polymer matrices or surfaces and interfaces, but also the characterization of their mutual response to irradiation.

This Special Issue aims to collect original scientific articles and reviews from various topics related to the photosensitive molecular switches acting in solvents, polymers, aligned media, or on various surfaces and at interfaces and on reversibly actuating their properties upon exposure UV/vis light. Examples of acceptable research topics include (but are not limited to) experimental, theoretical, and joint studies on processes in:

• Single-molecules devices;
• Self-assembled photoresponsive monolayers;
• Photosensitive polymers;
• Photochromes and their complexes with metals for biomedical applications;
• Light-programmable control of wetting;
• Light-driven particle and droplet transport;
• Photo-controlled stability of various phases.

The creation of moleculer switches is of great importance to the nanotechnological world, but we believe that their greatest moments are yet to come.

Dr. Olga Guskova
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 250 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for assessment.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Processes is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2400 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.