Self-electrooptic effect device for providing integer gain to input optical signals having series connected quantum well diodes

Semiconductor apparatus comprising:

• first and second groups of quantum well diodes electrically coupled to each other, each of the first and second groups each including at least two quantum well diodes connected in series, each quantum well diode absorbing optical power from a light beam passing through the respective quantum well diode in an amount proportional to an electrical current flowing through the respective group of quantum well diodes;
• and
• means for supplying an electrical current at a node between the first and second groups of quantum well diodes, the difference between the optical power absorbed by the first group of quantum well diodes and the optical power absorbed by the second group of quantum well diodes being proportional to the electrical current supplied at the node.

A method for replicating optical information, the method comprising the steps of:

• converting the optical information into an electrical current;
• and
• controlling with the electrical current the absorption characteristics of at least two serially connected quantum well diodes so as to modulate the optical power of a plurality of light beams having substantially equal optical power, each light beam passing through a different one of the quantum well diodes, the optical power absorbed from each of the plurality of light beams being proportional to the magnitude of the electrical current.

A method for amplifying an optical signal, the method comprising the steps of:

• converting the optical signal into an electrical current;
• and
• controlling with the electrical current the absorption characteristics of at least two serially connected quantum well diodes so as to modulate the optical power of a light beam that passes through all of the quantum well diodes, the optical power absorbed from light beam by each quantum well diode being proportional to the magnitude of the electrical current.

A method for processing information, the method comprising the steps of:

• representing the information as an electrical current of a predetermined magnitude;
• and
• controlling with the electrical current the absorption characteristics of two electrically-connected groups of quantum well diodes, the quantum well diodes within each group being electrically connected in series, so as to modulate the optical power of a plurality of light beams having similar optical power, the difference between the optical power absorbed by group of quantum well diodes and the optical power absorbed by the other group of quantum well diodes being proportional to the magnitude of the electrical current.