Optical neural network

1. An optical neural network comprising:

an input semiconductor layer receiving an input signal and outputs a first output signal on the basis of the received input signal;

a middle semiconductor layer provided to face the input semiconductor layer, receiving the first output signal from the input semiconductor layer and outputting a second output signal on the basis of the received first output signal; and

an output semiconductor layer provided to face the middle semiconductor layer, receiving the second output signal from the middle semiconductor layer and outputting a final output signal on the basis of the received second output signal,

wherein:

the input semiconductor layer outputs light having a first emission angle distribution to the middle semiconductor layer as the first output signal if the signal level of the input signal is a first level and outputs light having a second emission angle distribution which is broader than the first emission angle distribution to the middle semiconductor layer as the first output signal if the signal level of the input signal is a second level which is lower than the first level; and

the middle semiconductor layer outputs light having a third emission angle distribution to the output semiconductor layer as the second output signal if the signal level of the first output signal is a third level and outputs light having a fourth emission angle distribution which is broader than the third emission angle distribution to the output semiconductor layer as the second output signal if the signal level of the first output signal is a fourth level which is lower than the third level.

2. The optical neural network according to claim 1 , wherein:

the input semiconductor layer includes i (where i is a positive integer) input units;

the middle semiconductor layer includes j (where j is a positive integer) middle units; and

the output semiconductor layer includes k (where k is a positive integer) output units;

each of the i input units includes:

a first semiconductor substrate;

a detector provided on one principal surface of the first semiconductor substrate, detecting the signal level of the input signal and outputting output voltage reflecting the detected signal level; and

a first semiconductor light emitting device provided on the opposite surface to the one principal surface of the first semiconductor substrate where the detector is provided, emitting light having a relatively narrow emission angle distribution to the middle semiconductor layer when the voltage level of the input voltage from the detector is relatively high, and emitting light having a relatively broad emission angle distribution to the middle semiconductor layer when the voltage level of the input voltage from the detector is relatively low;

each of the j middle units includes:

a second semiconductor substrate provided to face the first semiconductor substrate;

a first photodetector provided on one principal surface on the first semiconductor substrate side of the second semiconductor substrate, receiving light emitted from the input unit included in the input semiconductor layer and outputting voltage reflecting the intensity of the received light; and

a second semiconductor light emitting device provided on the opposite surface to the one principal surface of the second semiconductor substrate where the first photodetector is provided, emitting light having a relatively narrow emission angle distribution to the output semiconductor layer when the voltage level of voltage output from the first photodetector is relatively high, and emitting light having a relatively broad emission angle distribution to the output semiconductor layer when the voltage level of voltage output from the first photodetector is relatively low; and

each of the k output units includes:

a third semiconductor substrate provided to face the second semiconductor substrate;

a second photodetector provided on one principal surface on the second semiconductor substrate side of the third semiconductor substrate, receiving light emitted from the middle unit included in the middle semiconductor layer and outputting the voltage reflecting the intensity of the received light; and

an output circuit converting the voltage output from the second photodetector to an element signal constituting the final output signal and outputs the converted element signal.

3. The optical neural network according to claim 2 , wherein:

each of the i input units further includes:

a first drive circuit provided on the opposite surface to the one principal surface of the first semiconductor substrate where the detector is provided, converting the input voltage output from the detector to first driving voltage in accordance with the voltage level and outputting the converted first driving voltage to the first semiconductor light emitting device;

each of the j middle units further includes:

a second drive circuit provided on the opposite surface to the one principal surface of the second semiconductor substrate where the first photodetector is provided, converting the voltage output from the first photodetector to second driving voltage in accordance with the voltage level and outputting the converted second driving voltage to the second semiconductor light emitting device;

the first semiconductor light emitting device emits light having the emission angle distribution in accordance with the voltage level of the first driving voltage to the middle semiconductor layer; and

the second semiconductor light emitting device emits light having the emission angle distribution in accordance with the voltage level of the second driving voltage to the output semiconductor layer.

4. The optical neural network according to claim 3 , wherein:

each of the i input units further includes a first metal wire penetrating the first semiconductor substrate in the thickness direction and connecting the detector to the first drive circuit; and

each of the j middle units further includes a second metal wire penetrating the second semiconductor substrate in the thickness direction and connecting the first photodetector to the second drive circuit.

5. The optical neural network according to claim 3 , wherein:

the input signal is composed of an optical signal; and

the detector receives the optical signal, converts the received optical signal to the input voltage reflecting the strength of the optical signal and outputs it to the first drive circuit.

6. The optical neural network according to claim 2 , wherein:

the first semiconductor light emitting device is fixed to the first semiconductor substrate by pasting; and

the second semiconductor light emitting device is fixed to the second semiconductor substrate by pasting.

7. The optical neural network according to claim 6 , wherein:

the first semiconductor light emitting device contains a different material from the material of the first semiconductor substrate; and

the second semiconductor light emitting device contains a different material from the material of the second semiconductor substrate.

8. The optical neural network according to claim 2 , wherein:

the first semiconductor light emitting device is formed on the first semiconductor substrate by heteroepitaxy; and

the second semiconductor light emitting device is formed on the second semiconductor substrate by heteroepitaxy.

9. The optical neural network according to claim 8 , wherein:

the first semiconductor light emitting device contains a different material from the material of the first semiconductor substrate; and

the second semiconductor light emitting device contains a different material from the material of the second semiconductor substrate.

10. The optical neural network according to claim 2 , wherein the output circuit converts voltage output from the second photodetector to a digital value and outputs the converted digital value as the element signal.

11. The optical neural network according to claim 2 , wherein the output circuit includes a third semiconductor light emitting device provided on the opposite surface to the one principal surface of the third semiconductor substrate where the second photodetector is provided, emitting light having a relatively narrow emission angle distribution as the element signal when the voltage level of the voltage output from the second photodetector is relatively high, and emitting light having a relatively broad emission angle distribution as the element signal when the voltage level of the voltage output from the second photodetector is relatively low.

12. The optical neural network according to claim 11 , wherein:

the output circuit further includes a drive circuit generating a relatively low third drive voltage when the voltage level of voltage output from the second photodetector is relatively high, generating a relatively high third driving voltage when the voltage level of voltage output from the second photodetector is relatively low, and outputs the generated third driving voltage to the third semiconductor light emitting device; and

the third semiconductor light emitting device outputs light having the emission angle distribution in accordance with the voltage level of the third driving voltage as the element signal.

13. The optical neural network according to claim 12 , wherein the third semiconductor light emitting device is fixed to the third semiconductor substrate by pasting.

14. The optical neural network according to claim 12 , wherein the third semiconductor light emitting device is formed on the third semiconductor substrate by heteroepitaxy.