Optical semiconductor device with wavelength selectivity and method for amplifying or emitting the light using the same

A method of amplifying a light of selected wavelength using an optical semiconductor device having a substrate, a collector layer provided on said substrate and composed of a semiconductor having a first conductive type, a multiple quantum well layer provided on said collector layer, a base layer provided on said multiple quantum well layer and composed of a semiconductor having a second conductive type, said base layer consisting of an active layer, and first and second semiconductor layers with said active layer sandwiched therebetween and having a wider band gap than said active layer, an emitter layer provided on said base layer and composed of a semiconductor having the first conductive type, and a collector electrode, a base electrode and an emitter electrode electrically connected to said collector layer, said base layer and said emitter layer, respectively, the method comprising steps of:

• entering light into a waveguide constituted of said multiple quantum well layer and said base layer;
• propagating the light through the waveguide;
• amplifying a light of selected wavelength from among the light propagating through the waveguide by applying an electric field of forward bias between said emitter electrode and said base electrode;
• emitting the amplified light from the device;
• and
• changing the wavelength of said amplified light by applying an electric field of reverse bias between said base electrode and said collector electrode.

An optical semiconductor device with wavelength selectivity comprising:

• a substrate;
• a collector layer provided on said substrate and composed of a semiconductor having a first conductive type;
• a multiple quantum well layer provided on said collector layer;
• a base layer provided on said multiple quantum well layer and composed of a semiconductor having a second conductive type, said base layer consisting of an active layer and first and second semiconductor layers with said active layer sandwiched therebetween and having a wider band gap than said active layer, said base layer and said multiple quantum well layer propagating light;
• an emitter layer provided on said base layer and composed of a semiconductor having the first conductive type;
• a collector electrode, a base electrode and an emitter electrode electrically connected to said collector layer, said base layer and said emitter layer, respectively;
• a first power source for applying an electric field of forward bias between said emitter electrode and said base electrode;
• and
• a second power source for applying an electric field of reverse bias between said base electrode and said collector electrode.

An optical semiconductor device with wavelength selectivity comprising:

• a substrate;
• a semiconductor active layer provided on said substrate and having a first conductive type;
• first and second semiconductor layers with said active layer sandwiched therebetween and having the first conductive type with a wider band gap than said active layer;
• a multiple quantum well layer provided adjacent to said first semiconductive layer, wherein said active layer, said multiple quantum well layer and said first and second semiconductor layers constitute an optical waveguide;
• third and fourth semiconductive layers with said optical waveguide sandwiched therebetween and having a second conductive type;
• and
• a first electrode, a second electrode and a third electrode electrically connected to said second semiconductor layer, said third semiconductor layer and said fourth semiconductor layer, respectively.

A method of amplifying a light of selected wavelength using an optical semiconductor device having a substrate, a semiconductor active layer provided on said substrate and having a first conductive type, first and second semiconductor layers with said active layer sandwiched therebetween and having the first conductive type with a wider band gap than said active layer, a multiple quantum well layer provided adjacent to said first semiconductive layer, wherein said active layer, said multiple quantum well layer and said first and second semiconductor layers constitute an optical waveguide, third and fourth semiconductive layers with said optical waveguide sandwiched therebetween and having a second conductive type, and a first electrode, a second electrode and a third electrode electrically connected to said second semiconductor layer, said third semiconductor layer and said fourth semiconductor layer, respectively, the method comprising steps of:

• entering light into the optical waveguide;
• propagating the light through the waveguide;
• amplifying a light of selected wavelength from among the light propagating through the waveguide by applying an electric field of forward bias between the first electrode and the third electrode;
• emitting the amplified light from the device;
• and
• changing the wavelength of said amplified light by applying an electric field of reverse bias between the first electrode and the second electrode.

An optical semiconductor device with wavelength selectivity comprising:

• a substrate;
• a semiconductor active layer provided on said substrate and having a first conductive type;
• first and second semiconductor layers with said active layer sandwiched therebetween and having the first conductive type with a wider band gap than said active layer;
• a multiple quantum well layer provided adjacent to said first semiconductive layer, wherein said active layer, said multiple quantum well layer and said first and second semiconductor layers constitute an optical waveguide;
• third and fourth semiconductive layers with said optical waveguide sandwiched therebetween and having a second conductive type;
• a first electrode, a second electrode and a third electrode electrically connected to said second semiconductor layer, said third semiconductor layer and said fourth semiconductor layer, respectively;
• a first power source for applying an electric field of forward bias between said first and third electrodes;
• and
• a second power source for applying an electric field of reverse bias between said first and second electrodes.