LIGHT-ACTIVATED ACTUATOR ELEMENT

摘要

A light-activated actuator element which can have a reduced size on the order of micrometer and has the properties of, e.g., responding quickly and being repeatedly usable through reversible changes. The light-activated actuator element comprises a crystal of a diarylethene compound which changes in form upon optical isomerization [e.g., one represented by the following structural formula (I), wherein R¹ represents hydrogen or methyl and R² represents methyl]. The element can be a rod-shaped or platy microcrystal having a size on the order of micrometer. The element bends (or shrinks) upon irradiation with ultraviolet light and elongates upon irradiation with visible light to recover its original size. [Chemical formula 1] (I)