LIGHT-RECEIVING ELEMENT, OPTICAL COMMUNICATION DEVICE EQUIPPED WITH SAME, PROCESS FOR PRODUCTION OF LIGHT-RECEIVING ELEMENT, AND PROCESS FOR PRODUCTION OF OPTICAL COMMUNICATION DEVICE

摘要

Provided are: a light-receiving element which can overcome the problem of poor sensitivity of conventional light-receiving elements; an optical communication device equipped with the light-receiving element; a process for producing a light-receiving element; and a process for producing an optical communication device. The light-receiving element comprises a substrate, a lower clad layer arranged on the substrate, an optical waveguide arranged on the lower clad layer, an intermediate layer arranged on the optical waveguide, a light-absorbing layer arranged on the intermediate layer, and a pair of electrodes arranged on the light-absorbing layer, wherein the light-absorbing layer comprises a IV-group or III-V-group semiconductor having a single crystal structure, and the light-absorbing layer can absorb an optical signal that propagates through the optical waveguide.