Chapter 9

4D Printing Applications in Photonics

Bijaya Bikram Samal

Bijaya Bikram Samal

Advanced Technology Development Centre, Indian Institute of Technology, Kharagpur, West Bengal, India

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Shubhanshi Sharma

Shubhanshi Sharma

Department of Electronics and Electrical Communication, Indian Institute of Technology, Kharagpur, West Bengal, India

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Monica Pradhan

Monica Pradhan

School of Nanoscience and Technology, Indian Institute of Technology, Kharagpur, India

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Shailendra K. Varshney

Shailendra K. Varshney

Department of Electronics and Electrical Communication, Indian Institute of Technology, Kharagpur, West Bengal, India

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First published: 21 May 2025

Summary

This chapter reviews the progress and possible applications of 4D printing in the field of photonics, highlighting its ability to produce adaptable components for advanced optical characteristics. The combination of shape memory materials with 3D printing technology allows for the development of tunable photonic devices that respond to changes in the environment, leading to groundbreaking applications. This review presents and discusses various smart mate- rials and their applications in the field of photonics. Different additive manufacturing processes utilized for photonics applications have also been reviewed. The main areas of interest are re- configurable devices with dynamically changing colors, infrared (IR) detectors, soft robotics, biomedical devices, and adaptive optical components. By harnessing the distinctive features of 4D printed materials, it is possible to create advanced photonic devices for dynamic displays, anti-counterfeiting measures, fano resonant structures, smart optical fibers, sensors and other applications. The chapter also emphasizes the need for future research to enhance the performance and properties that can expand the actual applications of these advanced materials and structures.

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