Friday, October 2, 2026
Science

Ultrafast X-rays reveal how the light-responsive molecular switch azobenzene changes shape

Azobenzene is one of the best-known molecules that can be switched between two forms by light. However, the question of how the molecule moves in the first few picoseconds (trillionths of a second) after it absorbs light has remained unresolved for nearly 50 years.

Ultrafast X-rays reveal how the light-responsive molecular switch azobenzene changes shape
Image: Phys.org
Azobenzene is one of the best-known molecules that can be switched between two forms by light. However, the question of how the molecule moves in the first few picoseconds (trillionths of a second) after it absorbs light has remained unresolved for nearly 50 years.

Originally published at Phys.org

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