Patent ID: 6882671
Filing Date: 2005-04-19
Classification: H01S

Abstract:
1. A semiconductor laser, which emits laser light through a light-emitting end surface, comprising: a lower cladding layer, an active layer for generating laser light, a first upper cladding layer and an etching stopper layer stacked in this order on a substrate; a second upper cladding layer formed in a shape of a ridge on the etching stopper layer, the ridge extending perpendicularly to the light-emitting end surface; a current blocking layer disposed in regions on both sides of the second upper cladding layer; and an impurity diffused in a portion extending along the light-emitting end surface from the etching stopper layer to the active layer and located at least under the ridge for local intermixing in this portion to restrain laser light absorption, wherein in a region along the light-emitting end surface, the etching stopper layer has a bandgap smaller in portions thereof disposed in positions corresponding to both sides of the ridge than in a portion thereof located just under the ridge.