Optical switches in thin film coatings based on highly nonlinear materials

Optical switching has many relevant applications in modern optical systems. The concept of passive intensity modulation in mode locking is the foundation for the generation of ultrashort laser pulses and various concepts for optical amplification rely on fast optical switching for pulse picking. Passive optical switching can also be applied in high power systems, where the switches could function as protective devices, shielding sensitive components from high intensities in case of malfunction. Similarly, optical coatings play an ubiquitous role in contemporary optical systems, providing mirrors with lowest possible losses [1] or enabling precise phase-control while maintaining high laser damage resistance [2]. The potential integration of optical switches into thin film interference coatings can therefore offer many advantages, for example miniaturization and integration of existing optical systems as well as higher degree of control over the spectral properties of the optical switch.