Polymer-Based Optical Gratings: Materials, Fabrication Technologies, Performance Analysis, and Emerging Applications – A Review

ABSTRACT Because of polymer optical gratings’ lower-cost options, they bend and stretch easily, can be adjusted to create different angles of light, and can be produced with massive scale production techniques, they are the preferred choice over traditional silicone or metal-based optical gratings. As a result of their increased lighter-weighted physical properties, flexible shape and compatibility with human body surfaces, polymer gratings allow for massive-scale manufacturing of photonic devices, as opposed to traditional optical gratings which have much higher production costs and limited methods to produce them in large quantities. This paper will provide an overview of polymer optical gratings including: scientific principles, material characteristics, fabrication processes, optical characteristics and application areas of finished devices. The details of fabrication techniques used for polymer optical gratings, comparison with silica-based gratings, and a description of current limitations of these devices will be provided to demonstrate future research possibilities in terms of supporting further development of advanced flexible photonic systems. Keyword: - Polymer grating, diffraction optics, nanoimprint lithography, fiber Bragg grating, polymer optical fiber, flexible photonics, Bragg diffraction.