Patent ID: 8073032

Claim:
A surface emitting laser, comprising: a substrate; and a semiconductor layer laminated on the substrate, the semiconductor layer including a lower mirror, an active layer, and an upper mirror, the surface emitting laser further comprising: a first etching region formed by etching a part of the upper mirror; a second etching region formed by performing etching from a bottom portion of the first etching region to a semiconductor layer for forming a current confining structure, the semiconductor layer being provided one of in the upper mirror and between the upper mirror and the active layer, below the first etching region; a surface relief structure by a stepped structure formed in a light emitting portion on a front surface side of the upper mirror; and the current confining structure formed by oxidizing a part of the semiconductor layer for forming the current confining structure, wherein a depth of the second etching region is shallower than a depth of the first etching region.