Used primarily as a photo-responsive compound in liquid crystal displays and optical data storage systems. Its trans-cis isomerization under light exposure enables reversible switching, making it suitable for smart windows and light-driven actuators. Also employed in nonlinear optics and as a dopant in photo-aligning layers for advanced display technologies. Shows potential in photopharmacology due to controlled structural change upon irradiation. The octyloxy chains enhance solubility in organic solvents and improve molecular alignment in thin films, making it suitable for optoelectronic devices such as organic solar cells or thin-film transistors.