Kinetic study of light-driven processes in photochromic dye-doped polymers used as gate insulators in photoswitchable organic field effect transistors

► Reaction in a photochromic system changes electric permittivity of a polymer film. ► Time dependence of UV/VIS spectra and electric permittivity were measured. ► Coloring and fading rate constants determined from both methods are similar. ► The photoactive polymer film was used as gate insulator in photoswitchable OFETs. ► Admission of oxygen results in an irreversible reaction of the photochromic system.