| 摘要 |
PURPOSE:To obtain a high-speed, small-sized optical matrix switch by using a semiconductor P-N junction element as an optical switching element and switching light directly. CONSTITUTION:Semiconductor P-N junction elements 7 having waveguide structure are provided on a semiconductor crystal substrate 9 in a matrix through waveguides 8 made of semiconductor media having greater band-gap energy than energy which corresponds to the wavelength of signal light. Switching is performed by switching currents applied to the elements 7 on the input and output sides. Semiconductive crystal 10 of N type GaInAsP has desired values of a refractive index and the band-gap energy for a waveguide by selecting contents of respective elements. An active layer 1 constituting P-N junction uses semiconductor of pure GaInAsP, and semiconductor crystal 12 of P type GaInAsP forms a layer required to further grow the crystal later. |
