There is a continual drive to increase the rate at which information is transmitted over telecom networks. One approach being pursued to meet that demand is optical integration, whereby the optical function is patterned onto an optical chip, providing a high-performance, small-footprint communication platform.

Lithium niobate is an optoelectronically active material whose high modulation rates make it the workhorse material in optical communication applications. Desiatov et al. show that thin-film lithium niobate also can be used effectively at visible wavelengths, suggesting its usefulness in many sensing and imaging applications.

The demonstration of ultra-low-loss waveguides and high-Q microring resonators illustrate the potential for lithium niobate as a platform for developing active and passive optically integrated device technologies.

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