Reversible light and air-driven lithography by singlet oxygen

J Am Chem Soc. 2005 Jul 6;127(26):9386-7. doi: 10.1021/ja0517015.

Abstract

Monolayers and thin films of diphenylanthracene react in the presence of a singlet oxygen sensitizer by irradiation on air to the corresponding endoperoxides and reconvert to the starting compounds upon heating. This reaction has been applied to create 2D fluorescent pattern structures. Motifs which are written by this technique can be erased and replaced by new images.