Reversible and Efficient Light-Induced Molecular Switching on an Insulator Surface

Prototypical molecular switches such as azobenzenes exhibit two states, i.e., trans and cis, with different characteristic physical properties. In recent years various derivatives were investigated on metallic surfaces. However, bulk insulators as supporting substrate reveal important advantages since they allow electronic decoupling from the environment, which is key to control the switching properties. Here, we report on the light-induced isomerization of an azobenzene derivative on a bulk insulator surface, in this case calcite (101̅4), studied by atomic force microscopy with submolecular resolution. Surprisingly, cis isomers appear on the surface already directly after preparation, indi…