Hydrogel-based tissue engineering scaffolds are widely used for culturing cells in three dimensions (3D) due to their tissue-like water content, tunable biochemical and physical properties, and ease of cell encapsulation and distribution in 3D.
An optical switch includes a microresonator comprising a plurality of nanoparticles. The microresonator is configured to receive signal light having a signal wavelength and to receive a pump pulse having a pump wavelength.