A hetero-junction bipolar phototransistor includes a photo-absorption layer formed of a first conductivity type semiconductor layer, and a collector operating as a barrier layer, a base layer, and an emitter layer, which are stacked in sequence on the photo-absorption layer. The photo-absorption layer, collector, base layer and emitter layer forms a first mesa structure, and an emitter contact layer forms a second mesa structure. The photo-absorption layer includes a semiconductor layer with a narrow gap corresponding to a light-sensing wavelength of the phototransistor. The collector includes a semiconductor layer with a wider gap than a gap of the photo-absorption layer. The base layer has an energy level equal to or higher than the energy level of the collector. The emitter layer has a wide gap as compared to the base layer, and an energy level in a valence band is lower than an energy level of the base layer.