Patent ID: 8179937

Claim:
A method for producing a high frequency optical signal component representative of a high frequency electrical signal component, comprising the steps of: providing a layered semiconductor structure including a semiconductor drain region comprising at least one drain layer, a semiconductor base region disposed on said drain region and including at least one base layer, and a semiconductor emitter region disposed on a portion of said base region and comprising an emitter mesa that includes at least one emitter layer; providing, in said base region, at least one region exhibiting quantum size effects; providing a base/drain electrode coupled with said base region and coupled with said drain region, and providing an emitter electrode coupled with said emitter region, said base/drain electrode having a first portion on an exposed surface of said base region and a further portion coupled with said drain region; providing an aperture disposed over said emitter region; applying signals with respect to said base/drain and emitter electrodes to produce light emission from said base region, said step of providing an aperture further comprising providing an optical cavity for said light emission in the region between said first portion of the base/drain electrode and said emitter electrode; and scaling said aperture to control the speed of light emission response to said high frequency electrical signal component.