Effect of probe beam intensity on all-optical switching based on excited-state absorption

We theoretically analyze the effect of probe beam intensity on all-optical switching based on nonlinear absorption, using the pump-probe configuration. To draw general inferences that are applicable to a wide range of polyatomic molecules, we consider as a typical example, switching in pharaonis phoborhodopsin (ppR) protein and its mutants that exhibit a complex photocycle similar to bacteriorhodopsin (bR), having a number of intermediates with respective absorption spectra spanning the entire visible region. The switching of the transmission of a cw probe beam by a pulsed pump beam has been studied in detail at different wavelength combinations. Interesting consequences emerge from the present analysis. It is shown that by controlling the probe intensity, the switching characteristics can be inverted, switching time can be reduced and the profile of the switched probe beam and the switching contrast can be controlled. For some cases, the switching contrast can also be maximized by optimizing the probe intensity. Increase in probe intensity also leads to increase in switching contrast under certain conditions. At particular spectral and kinetic conditions, the nonlinear optical material appears linear for a given probe intensity and pump-probe wavelengths, respectively. Variation in probe intensity thus provides an effective means to modify the switching characteristics instead of using mutants with different rate constants for a variety of nonlinear absorption based all-optical devices. ©2012 Optical Society of America OCIS codes: (190.4400) Nonlinear optics, materials; (230.1150) All-optical devices. References and links 1. V. R. Almeida, C. A. Barrios, R. R. Panepucci, and M. Lipson, “All-optical control of light on a silicon chip,” Nature 431(7012), 1081–1084 (2004). 2. S. A. Haque and J. Nelson, “Physics. Toward organic all-optical switching,” Science 327(5972), 1466–1467 (2010). 3. S. F. 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Introduction
Switching light with light is of tremendous importance for both fundamental and applied science [1][2][3][4]. A switch is the basic building block of information processing systems. The advent of nano-photonics has led to the design, synthesis and characterization of novel molecules that exhibit an efficient nonlinear optical response, which can be utilized for designing molecular all-optical switches [5][6][7][8]. In addition to advantages of small size and weight, high intrinsic speed, extremely low propagation delay and power dissipation, the properties can be tailored by physical, chemical and genetic engineering techniques to suit desired applications [5][6][7][8].
In general, as in transient absorption spectroscopy, the intensity of the probe beam is considered to be very weak compared to the pump beam so that the probe beam does not affect the material response. The switching characteristics are not affected by the probe beam intensity, provided the absorption spectra of the ground and the excited-state do not overlap each other. However, usually, the absorption spectra of the excited-states overlap and hence, the probe beam gets absorbed by the ground state also, which can affect the switching characteristics. Moreover, practical implementation of digital logic devices based on the pump-probe configuration would require cascading, which can be possible if we consider the intensity of the probe beam to be of the order of the pump beam intensity or more. In addition to this, in case of nonlinear absorbers such as photosensitive proteins that exhibit a complex photocycle, with a number of intermediates having respective absorption spectra, the switching characteristics can be controlled by varying the probe beam intensity at a suitable wavelength. In such cases, the switching contrast, time, profile and relative phase between the pump and the switched probe beam would be affected by the probe beam intensity. Hence, a detailed study of the effect of probe beam intensity on switching characteristics is important that can lead to interesting consequences.
It would be appropriate to consider a photochromic material that exhibits a complex photoresponse, from which general inferences can be drawn. Of the wide variety of materials studied for all-optical switching, naturally occurring photosensitive biomolecules optimized over centuries of evolution, whose spectral and kinetic properties can be tailored through physical, chemical and genetic engineering, appear to be quite fascinating. The large family of rhodopsin proteins exhibits an efficient photoresponse, with the photochromic Bacteriorhodopsin (bR) protein found in the purple membrane of Halobacterium halobium having attracted most attention for bio-molecular photonic applications [22][23][24][25][26][27][28][29][30][31][32][33][34][35]. Recently, a new blue-shifted photoreceptor sensory rhodopsin II (sRII) or phoborhodopsin (pR) like protein, synthesized from Natronobacterium pharaonis, a halophilic alkaliphilic bacterium termed pharaonis phoborhodopsin (ppR), has received much attention due to its good stability and recent structure elucidation [36][37][38]. The excitation of bR or ppR molecules by 570 nm or 498 nm light, respectively, induces a photocycle, in which, the excited molecule undergoes several conformational changes, forming a number of intermediate states, before finally relaxing back to their respective initial states [24,25,28-44].
The typical photocycle of WT-ppR is shown in Fig. 1   . We have also conducted preliminary experimental and theoretical simulations of switching in ppR that show that increasing the probe intensity leads to continuous change in the apparent phase shift between the pump and probe beams [44].
The detailed analysis of the effect of probe beam intensity on switching characteristics of bR or ppR would provide a means to control its various features. In addition, it would also provide a general understanding applicable to a large number of photosensitive proteins and other molecules that exhibit partially some form of its photo-response. Hence, the aim of this paper is (i) to theoretically analyze the effect of probe beam intensity on all-optical switching characteristics of WT-ppR protein and its mutants based on ESA, especially, on switching contrast, switching time and switched probe beam profile, (ii) to determine the condition for maximum switching contrast, and (iii) to draw general inferences for the effect of probe beam intensity that are applicable to other materials.

Theoretical model
We consider all-optical switching based on ESA using the pump-probe technique. A pulsed pump beam excites the molecules to populate the intermediates that absorb a cw probe beam depending on the absorption spectra and the probe transmission gets switched [28-30,32-34,41-44]. Mathematically, the nonlinear interaction is described with population densities of the matter states and the intensities of the light fields.
We consider the typical photocycle of ppR as shown in Fig. 1 [39-43]. To simulate the effect of the intensity of both the pump and probe beams, we consider ppR molecules exposed to light beams of intensities I m ' and I p ', which modulate the population densities of different states through the excitation and de-excitation processes and can be described by the rate equations in the following form  Table 1 [39-43].
We consider a Gaussian pump laser pulse given by where I mo ′ is the peak pump intensity, t m is the time at which the respective pulse maxima occur, 4 ln 2 c = is the pulse profile parameter and ∆t is the pulse width [28-30]. We consider the transmission of a cw probe laser beam of intensity I p ′ , modulated by absorption due to different states that get populated due to excitation of ppR molecules by both the pulsed pump laser beam and a cw probe beam. The nonlinear intensity-dependent absorption coefficient for the probe beam is written as [32] where L is the thickness of the medium.

Results and discussion
The all-optical switching characteristics namely the variation in the NTPI with time have been computed using Eqs. (1)-(4), with peak pump intensity I m0 ′ = 50 mW/cm 2 , sample thickness L = 5 mm and pump pulse width ∆t = 1 s. The typical values of the rate constants and absorption cross-sections of various states are given in Table 1 [39-44]. To study the effect of a strong probe beam in addition to the pump beam at different spectral and kinetic conditions, we consider switching in native wild-type ppR and its two mutants that exhibit considerable change in rate constants of their intermediates while retaining the same absorption spectra, i.e., The concentration considered is at the optimum value for maximum switching contrast considering a weak probe beam [18]. Interestingly, as I p ′ increases, switching time decreases along with the switching contrast. The profile of switched probe beam becomes more symmetric with increase in I p ′. As is well known, for a weak probe beam, for γ (ratio of probed to ground state absorption cross-section at probe wavelength) >1, the NTPI switches low as the pump pulse excites the sample ( Fig. 2(a)), due to absorption of the probe by molecules in the ppR M state, Fig. 2(b). An intense probe beam affects the population dynamics of intermediates by exciting the ppR molecules in the initial ground state even in the absence of the pump pulse, as shown in Figs. 2(b)-2(d). As I p ′ increases, the equilibrium population (population in the presence of intense cw probe beam only) of initial ppR state decreases and the equilibrium populations of longer-lived M and O states increase. The increased absorption of probe beam at 390 nm by M excited-state decreases its transmission in the absence of the pump pulse, as shown in Fig.  2(a). The population of M-state molecules excited by pulsed pump beam also decreases with increase in I p ′, as these molecules relax fast into the initial ppR state. This is due to increase in effective rate constant of M intermediate by intense probe beam (k M-Eff = k M + I p σ Mp ), as shown in Figs. 2(b)-2(d). This reduces the switching contrast and switching time as well. For instance, for a very weak probe beam, the NTPI is modulated by 48.15% with switch 'off' and 'on' time of ~1.5 s and 9 s, respectively, while for I p ′ = 50 mW/cm 2 , the NTPI is modulated by 19.65% with switch 'off' and 'on' time of 1.4 s and 2 s, respectively. As expected, the decrease in effective lifetime of M intermediate state also results in increase in symmetry of the switched probe beam, as the pulse width becomes greater and conforms to the steady-state condition.
Hence, as is well known, the transmission of a weak probe beam, corresponding to the wavelength at which γ is high, exhibits negative switching. Our analysis shows that the switching time in this case, can be decreased by increasing I p ′, provided the probe beam is also absorbed by the initial state. The symmetry of switched probe beam in this case also increases with decrease in switching contrast.
In general, pump and probe beams are considered at the peak absorption wavelength of ground and excited states, respectively. For analyzing the effect of the spectral response, we consider pump and probe beams at other wavelengths, i.e. with probe beams at 498 nm and 390 nm, respectively, and a pulsed pump beam at 390 nm. Figure 3(a) shows the variation of NTPI at 498 nm with time due to pump pulse excitation at 390 nm for different I p ′ values. Interestingly, in this case, the switching characteristics can be inverted from 'positive' to 'negative' by increasing I p ′. It is clear from Fig. 3(a) that there is an optimum value of I p ′ for which maximum switching contrast can be obtained. The calculated value of maximum switching contrast in this case is 54.16%, for an optimum I p ′ = 23 mW/cm 2 . For a weak probe beam at 498 nm, the initial NTPI in the absence of pump pulse is low, due to high absorption by initial ppR state only. In this case, as the modulating pulse appears, the NTPI exhibits 'positive switching' due to decreased absorption of probe beam by depleted population of initial ppR state, after absorption of pump at 390 nm. Increasing I p ′ at 498 nm decreases the population of initial ppR state, due to its excitation to longer-lived M and O intermediate states that leads to increase in NTPI in the absence of the pump pulse. The pump pulse excitation at 390 nm in this case, results in photo-induced relaxation of populated M-state to ppR state that leads to 'negative switching'.
Considering both the pump and probe beams at 390 nm in WT-ppR, the switching characteristics again get inverted from 'negative' to 'positive', on increasing I p ′. For a particular I p ′, the NTPI remains unmodulated by pump pulse i.e. the material appears to be optically linear for a particular value of I p ′. The NTPI at 390 nm considering weak probe beam transmission, exhibits 'negative switching' due to increased absorption of probe beam by populated M-state, Fig. 3(b). Increase in I p ′ in this case, decreases the NTPI in the absence of pump pulse due to increased absorption of probe beam by populated M-state. The excitation of sample with pump pulse at 390 nm results in photoinduced relaxation of M-state to initial ppR state that leads to decreased absorption of probe beam i.e. 'positive switching', Fig. 3 All-optical switching characteristics for O-state dynamics have also been studied in WT-ppR. The absorption spectra of different intermediates show that O-state exhibits maximum absorption at 560 nm, whereas other states have very low absorption at this wavelength [39-43]. The switching characteristics for this case considering weak probe transmission at 560 nm, (Fig. 4(a)), shows 'negative switching', qualitatively similar to 390 nm case, Fig. 2

(a).
There is an optimum value of concentration (120 µM), for which maximum switching contrast (35.28%) of the NTPI can be achieved. The optimum value of concentration decreases with increase in I m0 ′ [18]. For peak pump intensities of 5 and 10 mW/cm 2 , the optimum values of concentration are 139 µM and 129 µM, respectively, with 27.16% and 32.45% maximum switching contrast. Figure 4(a) shows the effect of variation of I p ′ on NTPI at 560 nm with I m0 ′ = 50 mW/cm 2 . As I p ′ increases, the switching contrast of NTPI at 560 nm and switching time decrease. At a particular I p ′ value, the switching contrast becomes negligible. Further increase in I p ′ results in 'positive switching'. This variation in the nature of switching characteristics can be explained considering intensity-induced population changes of different intermediates as shown in Figs. 4(b)-4(d).  Fig.  4(c). Thus, the NTPI in this case increases from its equilibrium value due to smaller absorption of the probe beam by depleted ppR state, as shown in Figs. 4(a) and 4(c) at I p ′ = 15 mW/cm 2 . Very high I p ′ (95 mW/cm 2 ) results in large decrement in population of the initial ppR state that finally results in increase in NTPI in the absence of pump pulse and decrease in switching contrast, as shown in Figs. 4(a) and 4(d). There is again an optimum value of I p ′ (15 mW/cm 2 ) for which maximum modulation occurs, as in Fig. 3(a).
In general, as is well known, the longer-lived probed state with high γ values results in 'negative switching'. The present analysis shows that if the probed state has a longer-lived earlier intermediate state that has no absorption at both probe and pump wavelengths, the switching characteristics can be inverted from 'negative' to 'positive' by increasing I p ′. The switching contrast expectedly becomes very low for higher I p ′ values. Figure 5(a) shows the variation of NTPI at 498 nm due to pump pulse excitation at 560 nm, for different I p ′ values in WT-ppR. Considering weak probe beam transmission, NTPI exhibits 'positive switching' due to decreased absorption of probe beam by depleted population of ppR state by pump pulse excitation. Increase in I p ′ results in increase in NTPI in the absence of pump pulse due to decreased absorption of probe beam by depleted ppR state. The switching contrast in this case also decreases with increase in I p ′. Figure 5(b) shows the variation of NTPI at 560 nm with time, due to pump pulse excitation at 560 nm for different I p ′ values. The temporal variation of NTPI at 560 nm due to pump pulse excitation at 560 nm ( Fig. 5(b)), is similar to temporal variation of NTPI at 560 nm due to pump pulse excitation at 498 nm ( Fig. 4(a)), due to major role of ppR and O state populations in both the cases.    Figure 6(a) shows the variation in the NTPI at 390 nm with time for different I p ′ values for F86D/L40T-ppR mutant at pH = 5 with concentration of 44.8 µM, i.e., optimum concentration for maximum switching contrast for weak probe beam. It is clear from Fig. 6(a) that by increasing I p ′ at 390 nm, the switching characteristics get inverted with decrease in total switching time and increase in symmetry.

F86D/L40T-ppR Mutant
The transmission of a weak probe beam exhibits 'positive switching', as shown in Fig.  6(a). The population dynamics for a weak probe beam is shown in Fig. 6(b). The population of M-state in this case is very small due to its very short lifetime. Hence, the NTPI at 390 nm depends upon the small absorption by the initial ppR state. In this case, the NTPI increases due to lower absorption of the probe by the less populated shorter lifetime M-state and the depleted initial ppR state [30,44].
The  Fig. 6(d). In this case, the excitation of ppR sample by pulsed pump beam at 498 nm results in increase in population of initial ppR state due to photoinduced relaxation of highly populated ppR O state molecules into less populated initial state. This decreases the NTPI at 390 nm due to increased absorption of the probe beam by the initial state and leads to 'negative switching'. For instance, considering a weak probe, the NTPI is modulated by 17.97%, with the switch on-time of 2 s and the switch-off time of 7 s. At I p ′ = 15 mW/cm 2 , the switching contrast becomes negligible. At I p ′ = 95 mW/cm 2 , inverted switching characteristics are obtained with 10.55% contrast, with off and on-time of ~1.5 s and 2 s, respectively. The switching time decreases and symmetry of switched probe beam increases with increase in I p ′ due to increase in the effective rate constant of O-state for photoinduced transformation.
Hence, in a molecular system, if the probed state has a shorter lifetime and γ is higher at probe wavelength, then the NTPI exhibits 'positive switching' provided the initial state exhibits substantial absorption at probe wavelength. The switching characteristics in this case, can be inverted by using intense probe beam provided a longer-lived state comes after the probed state and which has no absorption at probe wavelength. The switching time in this case also decreases with increase in symmetry of switching characteristics. Considering the weak probe beam transmission and pump pulse excitation at 390 nm, the NTPI at 498 nm in F86D/L40T-ppR also exhibits 'positive switching' with higher contrast in comparison to WT-ppR case, as shown in Figs. 3(a) and 7. This is due to shorter lifetime of M-state in comparison to O-state having no absorption at 390 nm, in F86D/L40T-ppR. This leads to comparatively higher utilization of 390 nm pump pulse in F86D/L40T-ppR for exciting the initial state in comparison to photo-induced back relaxation of M-state to initial state. The 'positive switching' contrast in this case decreases with increase in I p ′ similar to the variation shown in Fig. 5(a). At very high I p ′ values, the switching characteristics invert (negative switching) with low switching contrast, due to very small population of shorter lived M-state. The variation in NTPI at 390 nm due to pump pulse excitation at 390 nm in F86D/L40T-ppR is similar to the earlier case, Fig. 7.
The switching characteristics can be inverted from 'positive' to 'negative' by increasing I p ′ at 498 nm with pump pulse at 560 nm, Fig. 8(a). Considering the weak probe beam transmission, the NTPI at 498 nm due to pump pulse excitation at 560 nm, exhibits 'positive switching' with very low switching contrast, Fig. 8(a). Higher I p ′ in this case results in 'negative switching' due to increased absorption of probe beam by longer-lived O-state, which is highly populated due to intense probe beam and pump pulse excitation. In this case, similar to WTppR case described by Fig. 3(a) and 4(a), there is an optimum value of I p ′ = 15 mW/cm 2 (see Fig. 8(a)) for which maximum switching contrast (18.3%) can be achieved.
All-optical switching considering both pump and probe beams at 560 nm, respectively, have also been studied. The NTPI at 560 nm considering weak I p ′, exhibits 'negative switching' due to long lifetime of O-state, Fig. 8(b). Increase in I p ′ in this case leads to increase in population of O-state that results in decrease in the NTPI in the absence of pump pulse. The excitation of sample by pump pulse in this situation, switches the highly populated O-state molecules to initial state, which leads to decreased absorption of probe beam i.e. 'positive switching', Fig. 8(b).

F86D-ppR Mutant
In this mutant, the M-state lifetime is less than that in WT-ppR and higher than that in F86D/L40T-ppR and the O-state lifetime is more than that in WT-ppR and less than that in F86D/L40T-ppR [45]. Figure 9(a) shows the variation in the NTPI at 390 nm with time for different I p ′ values for F86D-ppR mutant at pH = 5 with concentration of 44.8 µM. It is clear from the figure that an increase in I p ′ at 390 nm results in increase in NTPI in the absence of pump pulse, i.e., 'negative switching' with increase in switching contrast. Switching characteristics in this case also become symmetric with decrease in switching time at higher I p ′.
its linear value again, Fig. 9(a). The population dynamics of the intermediates in this mutant is shown in Fig. 9(b). As the pump pulse excites the ppR molecules, initially the populations of M and O states increase, which result in decrease in NTPI. After some time the molecules of relatively shorter lived M-state relax into the longer lived O-state, which has no absorption at 390 nm that results in increase in NTPI. Finally, relaxation of O-state molecules to initial state leads to saturation of NTPI to its linear value.
Increasing I p ′ results in increase in the equilibrium population of O-state and decrease in the equilibrium population of initial ppR state, as shown in Figs. 9(c) and 9(d). This is due to no absorption by longer lived O-state at 390 nm [39,40], which results in increase in NTPI in the absence of the pump pulse. Increase in the equilibrium population of M-state is very low due to its photo-induced relaxation to initial state by absorbing the intense probe beam at 390 nm. At higher I p ′ , the equilibrium population of O-state becomes very large in comparison to the population of the initial ppR state, as shown in Fig. 9(d). In this case, the excitation of ppR sample by pulsed pump beam at 498 nm results in increase in population of both the M-state due to its long lifetime, and the initial ppR state due to photoinduced relaxation of highly populated O-state molecules into the less populated initial state. This results in higher absorption of the probe beam i.e. 'negative switching'. In contrast to earlier cases, in this case, the switching contrast increases with increase in its intensity. As shown in Fig. 10, the nature of temporal variation of NTPI at 498 nm due to pump pulse excitation at 390 nm can be inverted, by increasing I p ′ at 498 nm. The contrast for 'positive' and 'negative' switching at lower and higher I p ′ is comparable in F86D-ppR, due to moderate lifetime of M-state in this mutant. Switching contrast for 'positive switching' of NTPI at 390 nm in F86D-ppR due pump pulse excitation at 390 nm, also decreases with increase in I p ′, similar to Fig. 7.  Figure 11 shows the effect of variation of I p ′ at 498 nm for pump pulse at 560 nm in F86D-ppR. As in case of WT-ppR ( Fig. 5(a)), and F98D/L40T-ppR ( Fig. 8(a)), F86D-ppR also exhibits 'positive switching' for weak probe beam transmission. Increase in I p ′ results in 'negative switching' as for F86D/L40T-ppR, Fig. 8(a). Interestingly, further increase in I p ′ results in 'positive switching', Fig. 11. Since the kinetic and spectral properties of ppR can be tailored by various methods, the switching characteristics can be optimized to increase the contrast and obtain faster response time [38][39][40][41][42][43][44][45][46][47][48][49][50] Fig. 12(a), the general inferences have been summarized in Table 2. This would be useful to analyze a wide range of materials that may exhibit such characteristics or would help in tuning the characteristics to meet the desired requirements shown. The detailed analysis also provides important insights in controlling the population dynamics in different intermediate states by I p ′. By simply controlling I p ′, important switching parameters such as, the response time, contrast and profile can be controlled. The general inferences that have been drawn from the analysis of ppR are applicable to a wide variety of photochromic systems. Photosensitive proteins in particular provide interesting possibilities to control the nonlinear optical response due to (i) more number of intermediate states, (ii) large overlap of respective absorption spectra, (iii) sophisticated control of spectral and kinetic response over a wide range through nano-biotechnology and (iv) low-power operation.
Since, a switch is the basic unit of information processing systems, the present analysis may be useful in the design of various all-optical devices based on nonlinear absorption such as logic gates, spatial light modulators, bistable devices. Although one would be tempted to think that proteins would not meet the stringent requirements of thermal and photo-stability for any practical applications, bR and ppR exhibit remarkable stability. It has been experimentally demonstrated that bR can undergo more than 10 6 number of switching cycles without getting denatured [24]. The reversibility of bR is astonishingly high. Leophyl-dried purple membrane preparation has no storage limit. bR can retain its folded native structure up to temperatures as high as 140 ⁰C, incorporated in multilayer structures of self-assembled ordered films [55,56]. These exceptional properties are attributed to its survival in extremely harsh conditions, having been optimized over centuries of evolution and possessing a 2-D crystalline structure. bR and ppR have also been shown to be stable at 80⁰C in liquid form [24,57]. bR stability surpasses that of other synthetic organic molecules. Our experiments on all-optical switching with both bR and ppR reported earlier at room temperature show excellent stability [32,44].
The photocycle of both bR and ppR exhibit short and long-lifetime intermediates. The early photoreaction on absorption of a photon is extremely fast < ps, whereas the later states thermally relax ~ms-s. The present analysis would be applicable for faster switching using the early intermediates. We have already shown that exposing the molecules with high repetition rate pump pulses and an additional bias beam to truncate the photocycle, can lead to switching ~µs [31,41]. In addition, ultrafast absorption changes observed in bR may lead ultrafast switching [58]. Moreover, integration of these ultrasensitive photochromic proteins with nanostructures also opens up exciting possibilities for faster switching [59,60].
Switching response of a photosensitive material basically depends on its spectral or kinetic properties [13,[18][19][20]30,32,[41][42][43][44]52]. Different applications require different material properties and hence different samples. By controlling I p ′, the population dynamics and material response can be controlled to achieve different operations without changing the sample. The parameters, γ1 = σ1/σ0 and γ2 = σ2/σ0, where σ0, σ1 and σ2 are the absorption cross-section values of G, E1 and E2 states, respectively. Switching time decreases and symmetry of switched probe beam increases with increase in probe intensity for all cases. For instance, for γ<1 at probe wavelength, 'positive switching' is observed that can be used to design AND and OR logic gates. For γ>1 at probe wavelength, 'negative switching' is observed that can be used to design NOT, NAND and NOR logic gates [29,30]. As shown in the present study, both 'positive' and 'negative' switching can be achieved in the same sample, by only controlling the probe intensity. Hence, all-optical NOT, NAND, NOR, AND and OR logic operations can be realized using the same sample.
Recently, controllable ultraslow light has been demonstrated in a thin bR film (~0.091 mm/s) based on coherent population oscillations, at room temperature [61]. The present analysis would also be potentially useful in probe intensity controlled all-optical switching with controllable delay, over a wide range, using the same sample.

Conclusion
We have theoretically analyzed the effect of I p ′ on all-optical switching based on nonlinear absorption, using the pump-probe configuration. General inferences applicable to a wide range of photochromic molecules have been drawn by conducting a detailed analysis of switching in ppR protein and its mutants that exhibit a complex photocycle. It has been shown that by controlling I p ′, the switching characteristics can be inverted, switching time can be reduced and the profile of the switched probe beam and the switching contrast can be controlled. For some cases, the switching contrast can also be maximized by optimizing I p ′. Under certain conditions, increase in I p ′ also leads to increase in switching contrast. For a given I p ′ and pump-probe wavelength combination, at particular spectral and kinetic conditions, the nonlinear optical material appears linear. The switching characteristics can hence be modified by varying I p ′ instead of using mutants with different rate constants, to design a variety of nonlinear absorption based all-optical devices.