Optical Communication & Integrated Photonics: Lithium Niobate on Insulator (LNOI)
Electro-optic modulator performance depends on the refractive-index uniformity of the optical-grade LiNbO3 wafer it's built on.
Modulator Performance Starts With Wafer Uniformity
An electro-optic modulator only works as well as the refractive-index uniformity of the LiNbO3 it's built on. If the base wafer has inconsistent optical homogeneity across its surface, that variation shows up downstream as inconsistent modulation depth or signal loss — and it's much harder to fix in a finished photonic device than to source correctly at the wafer stage.
Lithium niobate on insulator (LNOI) is the thin-film platform used to build these devices, starting from bulk optical-grade LiNbO3 that's bonded, thinned, and processed into sub-micron films. Jingxin New Materials supplies the optical-grade LiNbO3 wafers used as that starting material, produced at our ISO 9001:2015 / ISO 14001:2015 certified facility in Zhuji, Zhejiang.
for predictable modulator behavior
so less signal is lost in-device
for your wafer-scale process
so quality claims are documented
Common LNOI Applications — and What Each One Needs
Different photonic devices push different properties of the same base material.
Optical Transceiver Module
High-speed optical modules built on thin-film LN photonics.
Fiber Network Transmission
The data-carrying infrastructure LNOI modulators plug into.
High-Speed Optical Modulators
The problem: Telecom-grade modulators need to switch light on/off (or shift its phase) at very high data rates without distorting the signal.
Why it matters: LiNbO3's strong electro-optic effect lets a small voltage change reliably shift the refractive index — the mechanism the modulator depends on.
Integrated Photonic Circuits
The problem: Packing multiple optical components (waveguides, splitters, modulators) onto one chip means every component has to behave predictably at a very small scale.
Why it matters: Thin-film LNOI keeps the optical mode tightly confined, enabling denser circuit layouts than bulk LN devices.
Optical Communication Transceivers
The problem: Data center and telecom backbone links need modulators with low insertion loss to avoid degrading signal over long fiber runs.
Why it matters: Low optical absorption in the base material directly limits how much signal is lost passing through the device.
Research & Prototype Photonic Devices
The problem: Early-stage device development needs consistent wafer-to-wafer material behavior so results are attributable to the design, not material variation.
Why it matters: A documented optical homogeneity spec gives you a known baseline to design against.
What to Confirm for Your LNOI Process
Three decisions that determine whether the wafer you order actually fits your process.
Cut orientation
X-cut and Z-cut LiNbO3 are both used in photonic applications, depending on how your device is designed to interact with the electro-optic effect. Confirm this with your device engineer before ordering.
View LiNbO3 Wafers →Raw wafer vs. thinned film
Decide whether you need bulk optical-grade LiNbO3 to process yourself, or want the thinning/bonding handled as a service using your material or ours.
View Wafer Processing Services →Target film thickness
Thin-film LNOI structure parameters are process-specific — have your target thickness ready when you reach out so we can confirm feasibility.
Request Specifications →Not sure which applies to your device? Send us your design details.
Optical Grade LiNbO3 Specifications
| Material | LiNbO₃ |
|---|---|
| Diameter | 3", 4" |
| Orientation | X-cut / Z-cut / Y-cut |
| Optical Homogeneity | Δn ≤ 5×10⁻⁵ |
| Optical Absorption | < 0.1%/cm (at 633nm) |
Base material specifications. Thin-film LNOI (bonded / thinned) parameters are process-specific — see the decision guide above.
What Actually Changes for You as the Buyer
Full in-house production, verifiable certification, and processing your own material — these are the three things that affect your sourcing risk.
One Supplier, Start to Finish
Crystal growth through polishing happens at the same facility that produces our SAW-grade material, adapted to optical-grade tolerances — one traceable quality record per wafer.
See the process →Specs You Can Verify
Production runs under an ISO 9001:2015 / ISO 14001:2015 certified system with inspection records kept at each stage, so you have documentation to check your wafers against.
View certifications →Process Your Own Material
If you already have LN material and just need thinning or processing, send it to us through our wafer processing service instead of sourcing new wafers.
View processing services →Frequently Asked Questions
Do you produce finished thin-film LNOI wafers, or raw optical-grade LN?
We supply optical-grade LiNbO3 wafers as the base material. Thin-film bonding and processing into LNOI structures can be discussed through our Wafer Processing Services — contact us with your target specification.
What cut orientation should I use for a modulator design?
X-cut and Z-cut are both used depending on device design — confirm the orientation with your device engineer before ordering.
Can I send my own LN material for thinning?
Yes — see our Wafer Processing Services page for customer-supplied material processing.
How does optical homogeneity affect my device yield?
Inconsistent Δn across a wafer can produce inconsistent modulation behavior between devices cut from the same wafer — tighter homogeneity generally means more predictable device-to-device performance.
Need Optical-Grade LiNbO3 for Your Photonic Device?
Tell us your cut orientation, target film thickness, and whether you're supplying your own material — we'll get back with a quote.