Abstract:

With the rapid development of application fields such as 5G/6G communication technologies, big data, and artificial intelligence, there is an increasingly urgent demand for new-generation photonic chips. Lithium niobate crystals, due to their excellent electro-optic, nonlinear optical, and piezoelectric properties, have become the core material of the new-generation integrated photonic chips and are known as the “optical silicon”. With the breakthroughs in the preparation and device processing technologies of lithium niobate single-crystal thin films, the single-crystal thin films have demonstrated unique advantages in their applications in high-speed electro-optic modulators, integrated optics, and quantum optics, including smaller size, higher integration, ultrafast electro-optic effect, wide bandwidth, and low power consumption. This paper introduced the research and development progress in the preparation technologies of optical-grade lithium niobate crystals and single-crystal thin films in China and abroad, as well as relevant science and technology policies and their latest applications in fields such as photonic chips, integrated optical platforms, and quantum optical devices. It analyzed the development trends and challenges of the industrial chain of lithium niobate crystals, thin films, and devices and put forward suggestions for the development and future layout of the lithium niobate industry. In China, the research on lithium niobate single-crystal thin films and advanced devices is almost on a par with the international advanced level. However, there is still a large gap in the industrialization of high-quality lithium niobate crystal materials compared with other countries. By optimizing the industrial layout and strengthening basic research and development, China will form a lithium niobate industry cluster covering material preparation, device design, manufacturing, and application in the future.

Key words: lithium niobate, thin-film lithium niobate, optical chip, integrated photonics

摘要：

随着5G/6G通信技术、大数据、人工智能等应用领域的快速发展，新一代光子芯片的需要日益增长。铌酸锂晶体凭借优异的电光、非线性光学和压电特性，成为光子芯片的核心材料，被称为光子时代的“光学硅”材料。近年来，铌酸锂单晶薄膜制备和器件加工技术取得突破，展现出尺寸更小、集成度更高、超快电光效应、宽带宽、低功耗等优势，在高速电光调制器、集成光学、量子光学等领域应用前景广阔。文章介绍了光学级铌酸锂晶体、单晶薄膜制备技术的国内外研发进展和相关政策，以及其在光芯片、集成光学平台、量子光学器件等领域的最新应用。分析了铌酸锂晶体-薄膜-器件产业链的发展趋势及挑战，并针对未来布局提出建议。目前，中国在铌酸锂单晶薄膜、铌酸锂基光电器件领域与国际先进水平处于并跑阶段，但在高品质铌酸锂晶体材料产业化方面仍有较大差距。通过优化产业布局和加强基础研发，中国有望形成从材料制备到器件设计、制造和应用的完整的铌酸锂产业集群。

关键词: 铌酸锂单晶, 薄膜铌酸锂, 光芯片, 集成光子学