Lithium Niobate Wafer (LiNbO₃ Wafer)

• Strong electro-optic effect: Supports optical modulation and photonic device development.

• Excellent piezoelectric properties: Suitable for acoustic wave and frequency-control devices.

• Nonlinear optical performance: Used in frequency conversion and laser technologies.

• High-quality single-crystal structure: Supports precision optical and electronic fabrication.

• Multiple crystal orientations: X-cut, Y-cut, and Z-cut options may be available.

• Custom wafer specifications: Diameter, thickness, surface finish, and polishing requirements can be specified.

Property	Typical Specification
Product Name	Lithium Niobate Wafer
Chemical Name	Lithium Niobate
Chemical Formula	LiNbO₃
CAS Number	12031-63-9
Molecular Weight	147.85 g/mol
Crystal Type	Single crystal
Crystal Structure	Trigonal
Appearance	Colorless or transparent crystal; coloration may vary by grade
Density	Approximately 4.64 g/cm³
Curie Temperature	Approximately 1,140–1,150°C
Refractive Index	Approximately 2.1–2.3, wavelength- and polarization-dependent
Crystal Orientations	X-cut, Y-cut, Z-cut; custom orientations may be available
Wafer Diameter	Common sizes include 2-inch, 3-inch, 4-inch, and custom diameters, subject to availability
Wafer Thickness	Custom thicknesses available; commonly hundreds of micrometers for bulk wafers
Surface Finish	Single-side polished (SSP) or double-side polished (DSP)
Composition	Congruent or near-stoichiometric lithium niobate, depending on grade
Special Configurations	Thin-film lithium niobate and lithium-niobate-on-insulator (LNOI), subject to availability
Applications	Photonics, optical modulators, SAW devices, nonlinear optics, integrated optics, telecommunications

• Optical Grade Lithium Niobate Wafer: For nonlinear optics, laser systems, and optical device fabrication.

• Electronic Grade Lithium Niobate Wafer: For photonic and electronic research applications.

• X-Cut Lithium Niobate Wafer: Commonly used for electro-optic modulators and integrated photonics.

• Y-Cut Lithium Niobate Wafer: For selected piezoelectric and optical device configurations.

• Z-Cut Lithium Niobate Wafer: For applications requiring the crystal's polar axis perpendicular to the wafer surface.

• Double-Side Polished Wafer: For applications requiring polished surfaces on both sides.

• Lithium-Niobate-on-Insulator (LNOI): Thin lithium niobate bonded to an insulating substrate for integrated photonics, subject to availability.

• Custom-Specification Wafer: Sourced according to diameter, thickness, orientation, surface quality, and device-processing requirements.

1. What is a lithium niobate wafer used for?

Lithium niobate wafers are used in optical modulators, integrated photonic circuits, surface acoustic wave devices, optical frequency conversion, telecommunications components, and advanced photonics research.

2. What is the chemical formula of lithium niobate?

The chemical formula is LiNbO₃, consisting of lithium, niobium, and oxygen.

3. What crystal orientations are available?

Common orientations include X-cut, Y-cut, and Z-cut. The appropriate orientation depends on the intended optical, electro-optic, or piezoelectric device design.

4. What wafer sizes are available?

Common wafer diameters may include 2-inch, 3-inch, and 4-inch formats, with other dimensions potentially available. Actual availability depends on crystal grade, thickness, orientation, and surface specifications.

5. What is the difference between bulk lithium niobate and LNOI?

Bulk lithium niobate wafers consist primarily of the lithium niobate crystal itself. LNOI uses a thin lithium niobate layer integrated with an insulating layer and supporting substrate, often to enable compact, high-performance integrated photonic devices.

6. Can lithium niobate wafers be supplied with custom specifications?

Custom sourcing may be available for wafer diameter, thickness, crystal orientation, polishing, surface roughness, flatness, and composition. Provide the device requirements or wafer drawing when requesting a quotation.