Fundamental limitations on photoisomerization from thermodynamic resource theories

Understand

Small, out-of-equilibrium, and quantum systems defy simple thermodynamic expressions.

• Such systems are exemplified by molecular switches, which exchange heat with a bath.
• These molecules can photoisomerize, or change conformation, or switch, upon absorbing light.
• The photoisomerization probability depends on kinetic details that couple the molecule's energetics to its dissipation.