The uni-traveling-carrier photodiode (UTC-PD) is an innovative PD that has a unique operation mode in which only electrons act as the active carriers, resulting in ultrafast response and high electrical output power at the same time. This paper describes the features of the UTC-PD and its excellent performance. In addition, UTC-PD-based optoelectronic devices integrated with various elements, such as passive and active devices, are presented. These devices are promising for various applications, such as millimeter- and submillimeter-wave generation up to the terahertz range and ultrafast optical signal processing at data rates of up to 320 Gbit/s.

A compact and stable optical sampling measurement system with a temporal resolution of 2 ps has been developed. External-cavity mode-locked laser-diode (EC-MLLD) modules, which directly generate coherent 2-ps optical pulses, were used as the optical sampling pulse sources. Real-time measurement of the recovery dynamics in semiconductor saturable absorber devices has been achieved by optical sampling combined with the pump-probe method. An EC-MLLD module was also utilized for simple sub-harmonic all-optical clock recovery based on the synchronization of the mode-locking operation by optical-pulse injection. Optical sampling measurement of 160-Gbit/s return-to-zero signals incorporating all-optical clock recovery has been demonstrated.

The hybrid electrical/optical multi-chip integration technique for optical modules for optical network system has been developed. Employing the technique, a 44 broadcast-and-select type optical matrix switch module has been realized. The module consists of four sets of silica waveguide 1 : 4 splitters/4 : 1 combiners, four 4-channel arrays of polarization insensitive semiconductor optical amplifiers with spot-size converters as optical gates, printed wiring chips for electrical wiring and single mode fibers for optical signal interface on planar waveguide platform fabricated by atmospheric pressure chemical vapor deposition. All the gates and the wiring chips were mounted precisely onto the platform at once in flip-chip manner by self-align technique using AuSn solder bumps. Coupling loss between the waveguide and the SOA gate was estimated to be 4.5 dB. Averaged fiber-to-fiber signal gain, on-off ratio and polarization dependent loss for each of the signal paths was 7 dB 2 dB, more than 40 dB and 0.5 dB, respectively. High speed 10 Gb/s photonic cell switching as short as 2 nsec has been successfully achieved.

An optical cell buffer (OCB) for use in photonic ATM switch, is needed in order to resolve contention between optical cells. A 320-Gb/s-throughput switch system with 32 wavelength channels requires a buffer size of 13 and a wavelength bandwidth of 25 nm. We developed an optical cell buffer with a four-nested-taps configuration and fabricated it with electroabsorption gates and gain clamped optical amplifiers. The output level variation, which determines the stability of operating condition, is less than 2.4 dB under typical conditions and the insertion loss variation is suppressed to within 5 dB. This OCB can be used in a 320-Gb/s photonic ATM switch.

Spot-size-converter integrated semiconductor optical amplifiers have been developed as gate elements for optical switch matrices. An S-shape waveguide has been introduced to prevent re-coupling of unguided light to the output fiber. An angled-facet structure effectively suppressed light reflection at the end facets. Consequently, a high extinction ratio of 70 dB and a high fiber-to-fiber gain of 20 dB were achieved. Sufficient optical coupling characteristics to a flat-ended single-mode fiber with a coupling loss of 3.5 dB were also demonstrated.

The hybrid electrical/optical multi-chip integration technique for optical modules for optical network system has been developed. Employing the technique, a 44 broadcast-and-select type optical matrix switch module has been realized. The module consists of four sets of silica waveguide 1 : 4 splitters/4 : 1 combiners, four 4-channel arrays of polarization insensitive semiconductor optical amplifiers with spot-size converters as optical gates, printed wiring chips for electrical wiring and single mode fibers for optical signal interface on planar waveguide platform fabricated by atmospheric pressure chemical vapor deposition. All the gates and the wiring chips were mounted precisely onto the platform at once in flip-chip manner by self-align technique using AuSn solder bumps. Coupling loss between the waveguide and the SOA gate was estimated to be 4.5 dB. Averaged fiber-to-fiber signal gain, on-off ratio and polarization dependent loss for each of the signal paths was 7 dB 2 dB, more than 40 dB and 0.5 dB, respectively. High speed 10 Gb/s photonic cell switching as short as 2 nsec has been successfully achieved.

An optical cell buffer (OCB) for use in photonic ATM switch, is needed in order to resolve contention between optical cells. A 320-Gb/s-throughput switch system with 32 wavelength channels requires a buffer size of 13 and a wavelength bandwidth of 25 nm. We developed an optical cell buffer with a four-nested-taps configuration and fabricated it with electroabsorption gates and gain clamped optical amplifiers. The output level variation, which determines the stability of operating condition, is less than 2.4 dB under typical conditions and the insertion loss variation is suppressed to within 5 dB. This OCB can be used in a 320-Gb/s photonic ATM switch.

Spot-size-converter integrated semiconductor optical amplifiers have been developed as gate elements for optical switch matrices. An S-shape waveguide has been introduced to prevent re-coupling of unguided light to the output fiber. An angled-facet structure effectively suppressed light reflection at the end facets. Consequently, a high extinction ratio of 70 dB and a high fiber-to-fiber gain of 20 dB were achieved. Sufficient optical coupling characteristics to a flat-ended single-mode fiber with a coupling loss of 3.5 dB were also demonstrated.