OPTICAL SEMICONDUCTOR ELEMENT UTILIZING OPTICAL TRANSITION BETWEEN ZNO HETEROSTRUCTURE SUB-BANDS

摘要

An optical semiconductor element which has a structure comprising a zinc oxide or a zinc oxide mixed crystal as a quantum well and utilizes the optical transition between sub-bands being present in the quantum well structure. As a barrier layer, use is made of, for example, an insulating material comprising ZnMgO, a homologous compound represented by the general formula: RMO3(AO)m wherein R = Sc or In; M = In, Fe, Cr, Ga or Al; A = Zn, Mg, Cu, Mn, Fe, Co, Ni or Cd; and m = a natural number, or (Li, Na) (Ga, Al) O2. The element can be prepared by the film-forming onto a transparent substrate or a plastic substrate at a temperature of 200 DEG C or lower. The element can use a transparent substrate and a plastic substrate as a substrate, can provide a highly efficient and broad band light emitting element and light receiving element, and can conduct optical modulation and optical switching at an ultra-high speed, and thus can correspond to an optical communication system having tera bits/sec or more.