The challenges in the fabrication of reliable polymer photonic devices

Polymeric materials have been widely used for the fabrication of photonic devices. However, it remains a challenge to develop the reliable fabrication know-how in processing and patterning of polymeric materials. This paper will discuss the issues required in the fabrication of high performance polymer based photonic devices, and integrating them to address the future needs of the information and communication technology sector. Issues affecting the quality of the optical polymer films and device performances have been investigated. These include processing conditions, patterning technique and substrate selection. The findings can serve as a guide for optimizing the materials and process parameters in the fabrication of polymer optical devices.