Abstract: A method for making an optical receiver assembly that can receive optical signals via an input optical fiber and can generate output electrical signals, including the following steps: providing an open-ended cavity formed of insulating material, such as a ceramic, comprising a base, peripheral sidewalls, and an open end opposite the base, the outside surface of the base defining a first surface and the inside surface of the base defining a second surface; disposing a first conductive region on a portion of the first surface and a second conductive region on a portion of the second surface; mounting, on the first surface, a semiconductor photodetector device having an active region for communicating optically with the input optical fiber, and coupling an electrical output of the photodetector device with the first conductive region; mounting, on the second surface, an amplifier that is electrically coupled with the second conductive region and produces the output electrical signals; and providing at least one

Abstract: A method for providing and operating a device in a first mode as a light-emitting transistor and in a second mode as a high speed electrical transistor, including the following steps: providing a semiconductor base region of a first conductivity type between semiconductor emitter and collector regions of a second semiconductor type; providing, in the base region, a quantum size region; providing, in the base region between the quantum size region and the collector region, a carrier transition region; applying a controllable bias voltage with respect to the base and collector regions to control depletion of carriers in at least the carrier transition region; and applying signals with respect to the emitter, base, and collector regions to operate the device as either a light-emitting transistor or a high speed electrical transistor, depending on the controlled bias signal.

Abstract: A method for converting an optical signal, propagating in an optical fiber, into an electrical output signal, including the following steps: providing an optical interface having opposing flat surfaces and being formed of a material having a refractive index that is substantially higher than the refractive index of the optical fiber; disposing a first of the opposing flat surfaces of the interface adjacent an output end of the optical fiber, and disposing a photodetector adjacent a second of the opposing flat surfaces of the interface; whereby the optical signal is coupled into the photodetector and converted by the photodetector into an electrical output signal.

Abstract: A method for producing light emission from a semiconductor structure, including the following steps: providing a semiconductor structure that includes a semiconductor base region of a first conductivity type and having a relatively long minority carrier diffusion length characteristic, between a semiconductor emitter region of a second conductivity type opposite to that of the first conductivity type, and a semiconductor drain region of the second conductivity type; providing, between the base region and the drain region, a semiconductor auxiliary region of the first conductivity type and having a relatively short minority carrier diffusion length characteristic; providing, within the base region, a region exhibiting quantum size effects; providing an emitter electrode coupled with the emitter region; providing a base/drain electrode coupled with the base region and the drain region; and applying signals with respect to the emitter and base/drain electrodes to obtain light emission from the semiconductor stru

Abstract: A method for producing optical signals with improved efficiency, including the following steps: providing a layered semiconductor structure that includes a substrate, a semiconductor collector region of a first conductivity type, a semiconductor base region of a second conductivity type disposed on the collector region, and a semiconductor emitter region of the first semiconductor type disposed as a mesa over a portion of a surface of the base region; providing, in the base region, at least one region exhibiting quantum size effects; providing collector, base, and emitter electrodes, respectively coupled with the collector, base and emitter regions; providing a tunnel barrier layer over at least the exposed portion of the surface of the base region; and applying signals with respect to the collector, base, and emitter electrodes to produce optical signals from the base region.

Abstract: A method for making an optical receiver assembly that can receive optical signals via an input optical fiber and can generate output electrical signals, including the following steps: providing an open-ended cavity formed of insulating material, such as a ceramic, comprising a base, peripheral sidewalls, and an open end opposite the base, the outside surface of the base defining a first surface and the inside surface of the base defining a second surface; disposing a first conductive region on a portion of the first surface and a second conductive region on a portion of the second surface; mounting, on the first surface, a semiconductor photodetector device having an active region for communicating optically with the input optical fiber, and coupling an electrical output of the photodetector device with the first conductive region; mounting, on the second surface, an amplifier that is electrically coupled with the second conductive region and produces the output electrical signals; and providing at least one

Abstract: A method for producing light emission from a semiconductor structure, including the following steps: providing a semiconductor structure that includes a semiconductor base region of a first conductivity type and having a relatively long minority carrier diffusion length characteristic, between a semiconductor emitter region of a second conductivity type opposite to that of the first conductivity type, and a semiconductor drain region of the second conductivity type; providing, between the base region and the drain region, a semiconductor auxiliary region of the first conductivity type and having a relatively short minority carrier diffusion length characteristic; providing, within the base region, a region exhibiting quantum size effects; providing an emitter electrode coupled with the emitter region; providing a base/drain electrode coupled with the base region and the drain region; and applying signals with respect to the emitter and base/drain electrodes to obtain light emission from the semiconductor stru

Abstract: A method for producing light emission, including the following steps: providing a layered semiconductor structure that includes a collector region, a first base region, a first emitter region, a coupling region, a second base region, and a second emitter region; providing a quantum size region within the second base region; and applying electrical signals with respect to the second emitter region, the first base region and the collector region, to produce light emission from the second base region.

Abstract: A method for converting an optical signal, propagating in an optical fiber, into an electrical output signal, including the following steps: providing an optical interface having opposing flat surfaces and being formed of a material having a refractive index that is substantially higher than the refractive index of the optical fiber; disposing a first of the opposing flat surfaces of the interface adjacent an output end of the optical fiber, and disposing a photodetector adjacent a second of the opposing flat surfaces of the interface; whereby the optical signal is coupled into the photodetector and converted by the photodetector into an electrical output signal.

Abstract: A method for providing and operating a device in a first mode as a light-emitting transistor and in a second mode as a high speed electrical transistor, including the following steps: providing a semiconductor base region of a first conductivity type between semiconductor emitter and collector regions of a second semiconductor type; providing, in the base region, a quantum size region; providing, in the base region between the quantum size region and the collector region, a carrier transition region; applying a controllable bias voltage with respect to the base and collector regions to control depletion of carriers in at least the carrier transition region; and applying signals with respect to the emitter, base, and collector regions to operate the device as either a light-emitting transistor or a high speed electrical transistor, depending on the controlled bias signal.

Abstract: A method for producing light emission from a two terminal semiconductor device with improved efficiency, includes the following steps: providing a layered semiconductor structure including a semiconductor drain region comprising at least one drain layer, a semiconductor base region disposed on the drain region and including at least one base layer, and a semiconductor emitter region disposed on a portion of the base region and comprising an emitter mesa that includes at least one emitter layer; providing, in the base region, at least one region exhibiting quantum size effects; providing a base/drain electrode having a first portion on an exposed surface of the base region and a further portion coupled with the drain region, and providing an emitter electrode on the surface of the emitter region; applying signals with respect to the base/drain and emitter electrodes to obtain light emission from the base region; and configuring the base/drain and emitter electrodes for substantial uniformity of voltage distrib

Abstract: A semiconductor light emitting device, including: a heterojunction bipolar light-emitting transistor having a base region between emitter and collector regions; emitter, base, and collector electrodes for coupling electrical signals with the emitter, base, and collector regions, respectively; and a quantum size region in the base region; the base region including a first base sub-region on the emitter side of the quantum size region, and a second base sub-region on the collector side of the quantum size region; and the first and second base sub-regions having asymmetrical band structures.

Abstract: The disclosure has application for use in establishing a communication link between a first location and a second location, the first location having an electrical driver circuit that receives input data to be communicated, and the second location having an electrical receiver circuit for producing output data representative of the input data. The method includes the following steps: providing a tilted charge light emitting device at the first location and coupled with the driver circuit such that the light produced by the tilted charge light-emitting device is a function of the input data; providing an optical fiber between the first and second locations; coupling light from the tilted charge light emitting device into the optical fiber; and providing, at the second location, a photodetector coupled with the optical fiber and with the receiver circuit; whereby electrical signals representative of the input data are output from the receiver circuit.

Abstract: The invention is applicable for use in conjunction with a light-emitting semiconductor structure that includes a semiconductor active region of a first conductivity type containing a quantum size region and having a first surface adjacent a semiconductor input region of a second conductivity type that is operative, upon application of electrical potentials with respect to the active and input regions, to produce light emission from the active region. A method is provided that includes the following steps: providing a semiconductor output region that includes a semiconductor auxiliary layer of the first conductivity type adjacent a second surface, which opposes the first surface of the active region, and providing the auxiliary layer as a semiconductor material having a diffusion length for minority carriers of the first conductivity type material that is substantially shorter than the diffusion length for minority carriers of the semiconductor material of the active region.

Abstract: A method for producing light emission from a two terminal semiconductor device with improved efficiency, includes the following steps: providing a layered semiconductor structure including a semiconductor drain region comprising at least one drain layer, a semiconductor base region disposed on the drain region and including at least one base layer, and a semiconductor emitter region disposed on a portion of the base region and comprising an emitter mesa that includes at least one emitter layer; providing, in the base region, at least one region exhibiting quantum size effects; providing a base/drain electrode having a first portion on an exposed surface of the base region and a further portion coupled with the drain region, and providing an emitter electrode on the surface of the emitter region; applying signals with respect to the base/drain and emitter electrodes to obtain light emission from the base region; and configuring the base/drain and emitter electrodes for substantial uniformity of voltage distrib

Abstract: The disclosure has application for use in establishing a communication link between a first location and a second location, the first location having an electrical driver circuit that receives input data to be communicated, and the second location having an electrical receiver circuit for producing output data representative of the input data. The method includes the following steps: providing a tilted charge light emitting device at the first location and coupled with the driver circuit such that the light produced by the tilted charge light-emitting device is a function of the input data; providing an optical fiber between the first and second locations; coupling light from the tilted charge light emitting device into the optical fiber; and providing, at the second location, a photodetector coupled with the optical fiber and with the receiver circuit; whereby electrical signals representative of the input data are output from the receiver circuit.

Abstract: A method for producing optical signals with improved efficiency, including the following steps: providing a layered semiconductor structure that includes a substrate, a semiconductor collector region of a first conductivity type, a semiconductor base region of a second conductivity type disposed on the collector region, and a semiconductor emitter region of the first semiconductor type disposed as a mesa over a portion of a surface of the base region; providing, in the base region, at least one region exhibiting quantum size effects; providing collector, base, and emitter electrodes, respectively coupled with the collector, base and emitter regions; providing a tunnel barrier layer over at least the exposed portion of the surface of the base region; and applying signals with respect to the collector, base, and emitter electrodes to produce optical signals from the base region.

Abstract: A method for making an optical tilted-charge device that is substantially matched to GaAs lattice constant, including the following steps: providing a layered semiconductor structure that includes: a GaAs substrate; a semiconductor collector region; a semiconductor base region that includes a doped GaAs second base sub-region, an InGaAsN quantum size region, and a doped GaAs first base sub-region; and a semiconductor emitter region; and providing collector, base, and emitter electrodes respectively coupled with the collector region, the base region, and the emitter region. Electrical signals, applied with respect to the collector, base, and emitter electrodes, produces light emission from the base region.

Abstract: A method for producing a high frequency optical signal component representative of a high frequency electrical input signal component, includes the following steps: providing a semiconductor transistor structure that includes a base region of a first semiconductor type between semiconductor emitter and collector regions of a second semiconductor type; providing, in the base region, at least one region exhibiting quantum size effects; providing emitter, base, and collector electrodes respectively coupled with the emitter, base, and collector regions; applying electrical signals, including the high frequency electrical signal component, with respect to the emitter, base, and collector electrodes to produce output spontaneous light emission from the base region, aided by the quantum size region, the output spontaneous light emission including the high frequency optical signal component representative of the high frequency electrical signal component; providing an optical cavity for the light emission in the regi