A wide-band and high-gain differential amplifier adapted to amplifying transmitted optical signals of the GHz band is constituted by GaAs MESFET's.Two MESFET's Q1 and Q2 are differentially connected to each other. Drains of Q1 and Q2 are connected to load resistances R.sub.L and R.sub.L via a source-drain path of other MESFET's Q3 and Q4 whose gates are grounded in AC-wise.Current by-passing means 4, 4 are connected to the sources of other MESFET's Q3, Q4. DC bias currents of the differential pair of MESFET's Q1, Q2 are set to relatively large values to increase the mutual conductance gm of the differential pair of MESFET's Q1, Q2. Despite a large DC bias current, the current by-passing means 4, 4 decrease the DC voltage drops across the load resistances R.sub.L, R.sub.L, and enable the differntial amplifier to operate on a low power source voltage.