Abstract: Prior to using etching to form a plateau that is to constitute a laser ridge and that is to be provided with a cover constituting a top electrode, the surface of the cover is initially protected with a dielectric mask and the flanks of the cover are then protected with a dielectric coating. The dielectric coating is initially deposited uniformly over the surface and the flanks. It is then etched by directional means so that it remains on the flanks only. The invention is particularly applicable to making an optical amplifier.

Abstract: An integrated opto-electronic component includes an amplifying segment coupled to a tuning segment to provide a wavelength tunable laser oscillator function insensitive to the polarization of optical waves that it receives. The amplifying segment is designed to be insensitive to polarization. The tuning segment includes a Bragg grating and a waveguide dimensioned to procure transversely monomode laser emission with rectilinear polarization. Applications include wavelength converters and stabilized gain amplifiers, in particular for optical transmission.

Abstract: A portion of the surface of the first structure is protected by an oxide deposit, and the non-protective layers are etched down to a stop layer. The layers in the etched zone are then built up by molecular beam epitaxy, and one of the built-up layers is given a composition that is different from the composition of the corresponding adjacent layer in the first structure. The method is applicable to fabricating an integrated semiconductor comprising both a laser and a modulator.

Abstract: A metal contact is formed by etching a metal film that is locally protected by a spot of photosensitive resin. Thereafter the resin is caused to flow in the presence of vapor of a solvent for the resin, so as to form a protective spot of increased size. This larger spot makes it possible to etch the semiconductor substrate while ensuring that the projection formed in this way is automatically aligned relative to the metal contact. The resin remains photosensitive, thereby enabling subsequent etching. The invention is particularly applicable to the manufacture of avalanche diodes.

Abstract: In the method, a protective resist (108) used for lithographic etching is caused to flow plastically under the constraint of its surface tension, thereby increasing its thickness around a projection (106) on which a window (104) is to be formed. The invention is particularly applicable to manufacturing semiconductor lasers.