A power semiconductor waveguide optical amplifier (P-SWA) may include an amplifier waveguide with an invertible core formed from one or more undoped heterogeneous semiconductor layers and one or more cladding layers surrounding one or more sides of the invertible core formed as one or more undoped semiconductor layers. Pump light may be coupled into the amplifier waveguide to induce the population inversion in the invertible core. Signal light may further be coupled into the amplifier waveguide and may be amplified as it propagates through the amplifier waveguide. The signal light may then exit the amplifier waveguide as amplified signal light.