| 摘要 |
<p>PURPOSE:To allow a miniaturized switch array with low dispersion and to attain a high separation ability and a high integration by employing a semiconductor material having an energy gap satisfying a specific relationship as a material for an optical waveguide. CONSTITUTION:In terms of an optical switch capable of leading each optical signal in an optical fiber transmitting light in an optical communication system to any one of plural optical fibers, the semiconductor material having the Eg satisfying a relationship of 0<Eg-hv<0.1eV between the optical energy hv of an incident light beam and the energy gap Eg corresponding to transition between bands is used as the material for the optical waveguide. Accordingly, since a refraction factor can be largely changed only by impressing a current, the optical switch array, which is applicable to optical switching in plural modes and can be highly integrated, can be attained with a simple constitution.</p> |
