We present results of a theoretical investigation into a nonlinear thin‐film multilayer device that exhibits passive anisotropic optical transmission—the analogue of the electronic diode. This optical diode is a nonlinear, asymmetric, distributed Bragg reflector. Material parameters for a nonlinear polymer (polydiacetylene 9‐BCMU) and rutile are used in alternating layers to model a realistic device. The diode exhibits more than five times as much transmittance in one direction as in the opposite direction. It has a thickness of only 2 &mgr;m and is polarization insensitive. ©1995 American Institute of Physics.