Chemical Properties
white powder(s), also single crystal(s); can be prepared by hydrolysis of equimolar amounts of lithium ethoxide and niobium ethoxide in absolute alcohol by refluxing at 78.5°C for 24h, then crystallizing the resulting precipitate by heating 2h in a stream of oxygen gas at 250°C–350°C; ferroelectric; used in infrared detectors, in transducers for lasers, and as a sputtering target of 99.9% purity for piezoelectric applications [HAW93] [STR93] [HIR87] [CER91]
Uses
It is employed in the manufacture of optical waveguides and surface acoustic wave devices, Lithium niobate (CAS NO.12031-63-9) is used extensively in the telecoms market, e.g. in mobile telephones and optical modulators. It can also find its uses in laser frequency doubling, nonlinear optics, Pockels cells, optical parametric oscillators, Q-switching devices for lasers, other acousto-optic devices, optical switches for gigahertz frequencies.
