Design and engineering of a dual-mode absorption/emission molecular switch for all-optical encryption

Photochemical reactions that produce a detectable change in the spectroscopic properties of organic chromophores can be exploited to harness the principles of Boolean algebra and design molecule-based logic circuits. Moreover, the logic processing capabilities of these photoactive molecules can be directed to protect, encode, and conceal information at the molecular level. We have designed a photochemical strategy to read, write and encrypt data in the form of optical signals. We have synthesized a supramolecular system based on the known dye resazurin, and investigated a series of photochemical transformations that can be used to regulate its absorption and emission properties upon illumination with ultraviolet or visible light. We have then examined the logic behaviour of the photochemistry involved, and illustrated its potential application in data encryption.

Automated summary

Using photochemical reactions to alter the spectroscopic properties of organic chromophores can lead to the design of molecule-based logic circuits and data encryption strategies. By utilizing optical signals to read, write, and encrypt data, this approach shows potential for data protection.