Method of operating a semiconductor laser as a bistable opto-electronic component

摘要

A semiconductor laser is provided monolithically integrated on a substrate and has a cavity layer extending above a plane that is coplanar with a base surface of the substrate, is branched and includes a plurality of separately controllable regions. The laser is operated by changing charge carrier density in at least one of the regions so that it emits light at one of a first wavelength and a second wavelength in correspondence with the charge carrier density change.