Abstract: GaAs base optical waveguide-based structure for a neural network is discld which may form the basic functional building block of a neural architecture in which the waveguide architecture contains at least three electrically active components which are electrically isolated from each other. The waveguide parameters are such that the laser light propagating through the waveguide is a single-mode in both transverse and lateral directions. A superlattice structure is incorporated in the waveguide core and results in electroabsorption of the input laser light. An electric field is supplied to the active components in order to change the transmission properties of the core material, thus modulating the light passing through the core material.