OPTICAL SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICE

摘要

An optical semiconductor using the Franz-Keldysh effect, which exhibits good linearity between the intensity of input light and the intensity of output light under conditions of a high intensity of input light and a high voltage supplied. The optical semiconductor device has a double heterostructure in which is formed an intrinsic semiconductor layer interposed between a first semiconductor layer of n- or p-type and a second semiconductor layer of the opposite conductivity type. The thickness of the intrinsic semiconductor layer decreases toward the direction in which light travels.