Electro-optic modulators (EOMs) convert signals from the electrical to the optical domain. They are at the heart of optical communication, microwave signal processing, sensing, and quantum technologies. Next-generation EOMs require high-density integration, low cost, and high performance simultaneously, which are difficult to achieve with established integrated photonics platforms. Thin-film lithium niobate (LN) has recently emerged as a strong contender owing to its high intrinsic electro-optic (EO) efficiency, industry-proven performance, robustness, and, importantly, the rapid development of scalable fabrication techniques. The thin-film LN platform inherits nearly all the material advantages from the legacy bulk LN devices and amplifies them with a smaller footprint, wider bandwidths, and lower power consumption. Since the first adoption of commercial thin-film LN wafers only a few years ago, the overall performance of thin-film LN modulators is already comparable with, if not exceeding, the performance of the best alternatives based on mature platforms such as silicon and indium phosphide, which have benefited from many decades of research and development. In this mini-review, we explain the principles and technical advances that have enabled state-of-the-art LN modulator demonstrations. We discuss several approaches, their advantages and challenges. We also outline the paths to follow if LN modulators are to improve further, and we provide a perspective on what we believe their performance could become in the future. Finally, as the integrated LN modulator is a key subcomponent of more complex photonic functionalities, we look forward to exciting opportunities for larger-scale LN EO circuits beyond single components.

中文翻译：

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集成铌酸锂电光调制器：性能达到可扩展性时

电光调制器（EOM）将信号从电域转换为光域。它们是光通信，微波信号处理，传感和量子技术的核心。下一代EOM需要同时进行高密度集成，低成本和高性能，而使用已建立的集成光子学平台则很难实现。薄膜铌酸锂（LN）由于其高的固有电光（EO）效率，业界公认的性能，坚固性以及重要的是可扩展制造技术的快速发展，最近已成为强有力的竞争者。薄膜LN平台几乎继承了传统批量LN设备的所有材料优势，并以更小的占位面积，更宽的带宽和更低的功耗对其进行了放大。自从几年前才首次采用商用薄膜LN晶片以来，薄膜LN调制器的整体性能就已经可以与基于成熟平台（如硅和铟）的最佳替代产品相媲美（甚至不超过）。磷化物，得益于数十年来的研究和开发。在本微型审查中，我们将介绍使最新LN调制器演示成为可能的原理和技术进步。我们讨论了几种方法，它们的优势和挑战。我们还概述了如果要进一步改善LN调制器的话应该走的路，并且就我们认为其未来的性能可能提供了一个视角。最后，由于集成的LN调制器是更复杂的光子功能的关键子组件，