lithium niobate

noun

lithium ni·​o·​bate
-ˈnī-ə-ˌbāt
: a crystalline material LiNbO3 whose physical properties change in response to pressure or the presence of an electric field and which is used in fiber optics and as a synthetic gemstone

Examples of lithium niobate in a Sentence

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This means for this approach, there is no need for specialized manufacturing steps often required by some alternative materials, such as thin-film lithium niobate. — Rupendra Brahambhatt, Interesting Engineering, 24 Oct. 2026 However, other materials, such as lithium niobate and indium phosphide, should be able to exceed that. — IEEE Spectrum, 25 Mar. 2025 Transitioning to chip-scale implementations using materials like thin-film lithium niobate could enable compact, scalable systems. — The Physics Arxiv Blog, Discover Magazine, 16 Jan. 2025 Components And Markets One material that has helped photonics acquire nonlinearity is lithium niobate, a crystal (specifically, a synthetic salt) that has been long and widely used for modulating light signals in optical communication systems. — Kazuhiro Gomi, Forbes, 10 Sep. 2024 See All Example Sentences for lithium niobate

Word History

First Known Use

1966, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of lithium niobate was in 1966

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Cite this Entry

“Lithium niobate.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/lithium%20niobate. Accessed 30 Oct. 2026.

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