Molecular Logic Operations Using Multistimuli Responsive, Mechanically Tunable Elastic Organic Single Crystals

Despite the recent advancements in deciphering the underpinning rules of flexibility in organic single crystals and their superior device performance due to the nearly defect-free packing, flexible organic single crystals are scarcely used in electronic devices. Single crystals that can produce multiple readouts in response to different external stimuli could be immensely useful for molecular logic operations. Here, we report the modulation in the mechanical flexibility and fluorescence of the single crystals of a pyrene-functionalized naphthalidenimine in response to multiple chemical stimuli. Crystallographic investigations revealed that subtle changes in the weak intermolecular interactions play a critical role in defining the mechanical flexibility of these crystals. Furthermore, the multistimuli responsive mechanical and luminescence properties of these single crystals were utilized for building a multiple-input, multiple-output molecular logic gate.