Fotolabilas

Fotolabilas is a term used to describe compounds or materials that undergo chemical changes when exposed to light. This light-induced transformation can be a decomposition, an isomerization, a polymerization, or other types of reactions. The sensitivity of a fotolabile substance to light varies depending on the wavelength, intensity, and duration of exposure. Many organic molecules exhibit photolability, and this property is utilized in various technological applications.

One significant application of fotolabile compounds is in photolithography, a process crucial for manufacturing semiconductor devices and microelectromechanical systems. In photolithography, a fotolabile material, often a polymer called a photoresist, is coated onto a substrate. Light is then selectively exposed to the photoresist through a mask. The exposed or unexposed areas, depending on whether the photoresist is positive or negative, undergo a chemical change making them soluble or insoluble in a developer solution. This allows for the precise patterning of the substrate.

Fotolabile materials also find use in areas such as photochromic materials, which change color upon light exposure and revert to their original state in the dark, and in drug delivery systems where light can be used to trigger the release of a therapeutic agent from a fotolabile carrier. The study of fotolabilas is an interdisciplinary field involving chemistry, physics, and materials science, aiming to understand the fundamental principles of light-matter interactions and to develop new materials with tailored photolabile properties for innovative applications.