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Abstract

There is considerable interest in developing progressively moving devices on the nanoscale, with the aim of using them as parts of programmable therapeutics, smart materials and nano factories. We present an entirely light‐induced DNA walker based on orthogonal photo‐control. Implementing two azobenzene derivatives, S‐DM‐Azo and DM‐Azo, enabled precise coordination of strand displacement reactions that powered a biped walker and guided it along a defined track in a non‐autonomous way. This unprecedented type of molecular walker design offers high precision control over the movement in back‐and‐forth directions as desired, regulated solely by the sequence of the irradiation wavelengths. This concept may open new avenues for advancing non‐autonomous progressive molecular motors, ultimately facilitating their application on the nanoscale.