Efficient Surface Peeling, a Photoinduced Result of Photochromic Diarylethene Crystal by Multistep Light Irradiation

Photomechanical materials driven by an external light stimulus have become the focus of much attention. We can operate them in a noncontact way and remotely. Photoinduced bending, one of the typical photomechanical behaviors, is often observed in elongated and thinner crystals, which makes them a promising candidate for a variety of applications. However, the preparation of crystals appropriate for bending behavior is difficult because of the complexity of their molecular structures, preparation conditions, and other factors. Here, an efficient surface peeling of crystals by multistep light irradiation using diarylethene crystals is reported. Thin crystals fabricated by this approach make up less than half the thickness of the original crystals. This shows the potential for the photocontrol of various photomechanical behaviors by the same crystal depending on the irradiation conditions.