Organic compounds and materials with photoconductive properties have been studied for many years because of their importance in many technological applications such as dye-sensitized solar cells, photodiodes, photoresistors, electronics, biomolecular sensing, etc. For multiple purposes, such molecules require intense protection from various factors which can decrease their durability and cause fatigue. Interlocked molecules and macromolecules involving photoconductive organic components and various types of macrocycles, such as cyclodextrins, cyclophanes, or macrocyclic ethers, are promising candidates for new photoconductivity-related applications. In this chapter, a review in this emerging research area in materials science and technology is provided. Focus is placed on photoconductive (poly)rotaxanes and (poly)catenanes. Various types of such materials and compounds are reviewed, and recent examples are provided. The relation between their structure and photoconductive behavior is discussed.
Part of the book: Advances in Photodetectors