Photocurrent detection from photochromic diarylethene film

The photocurrent characteristics of a diarylethene (DAE) film were investigated. The photocurrents were attributed to the dissociation of electric carriers from the excited molecules in the DAE film. We demonstrated the on-off property of the photocurrent according to the isomerization state. Results reveal that the short-wavelength light corresponding to the high-energy absorption band of the colored DAE film generated higher carrier/photon efficiency than did the long-wavelength light corresponding to the low-energy absorption band. (C) 2004 American Institute of Physics.