Patent ID: 7911686

Claim:
An optical module arranged in an optical transmission path, comprising: an optical amplifying unit configured with a semiconductor, wherein the optical amplifying unit amplifies in high gain light input from the optical transmission path; and an optical element configured with a semiconductor, wherein the optical element includes an optical modulator, disposed in series with and behind the optical amplifying unit, and propagates the light amplified by the optical amplifying unit to the optical transmission path, and is operative to produce gain sufficiently high that insertion loss of the optical module is completely compensated, wherein the optical element comprises: a first optical waveguide through which light from the optical amplifying unit propagates; a second optical waveguide through which light propagates, wherein the second optical waveguide optically crosses the first optical waveguide to form a crossing portion; a first lead electrode arranged along the first optical waveguide and the second optical waveguide; a pair of first control electrodes arranged along the first optical waveguide so as to face each other, with the crossing portion therebetween, to which a control voltage controlling a crossing state is applied via the first lead electrode; a second lead electrode arranged so as to face the first lead electrode; and a pair of second control electrodes arranged along the second optical waveguide so as to face each other, with the crossing portion therebetween, to which the control voltage is applied via the second lead electrode.