Lithium niobate integrated optics

Guided-wave devices demonstrated in lithium niobate have been seen for many years as highly functional components for applications in fields such as optical communications and sensor systems. The potential for their use has been recognized by the substantial research and development effort the technology has witnessed, and the subject matter of this article is born from these endeavours. The material reviewed includes a survey of devices built, including their design, functionality, and performance, as well as parallel activities that have been undertaken in materials processing, theory, and the development of lithium niobate itself, all of which are closely linked, and all of which have played an important part in the overall development of this major branch of contemporary optics research.