An optical component fabricated from a semi-conductor wafer in which the epilayers are in the InCaAsP system comprises a pair of ridge waveguides. The ridge waveguides are proximate and parallel to each other in a first region, and diverge from each other in a second region. Each waveguide has a continuous electric contact over its upper surface to provide a first light amplification zone through or beneath at least a portion of both first and second light guiding paths and a second light amplification zone through or beneath at least a portion of both the first and a third light guiding path. The component can be used as a low loss 1.times.2 switch, or as a low loss 2.times.1 combiner.