Optical signal demultiplexing and conversion in the fullerene–oligothiophene–CdS system

We report the photoelectrochemical photocurrent switching (PEPS) effect in the system based on a C60 derivatives and nanostructured cadmium sulfide. Rapid and efficient photocurrent switching upon changes of the electrode potential was observed. This process relies on the photocurrent generation by semiconducting particles and interfacial electron transfer reactions governed by the redox chemistry of fullerene derivatives (fullerene–oligothiophene dyads) with molecular oxygen as a final electron acceptor. Surprisingly, fullerene derivatives without thiophene moieties were much less efficient as CdS modifiers. These peculiar photoelectrochemical properties were applied for construction of an optoelectronic logic device.