Patent ID: 8208511

Claim:
A surface emitting laser comprising: an oscillator structure including an active layer; semiconductor distribution Bragg reflectors each including plural pairs of a low refractive index layer and a high refractive index layer, the semiconductor distribution Bragg reflectors sandwiching the oscillator structure; and a confined structure formed of a selectively-oxidized layer including aluminum, wherein the selectively-oxidized layer is included as a part of the low refractive index layer of the semiconductor distribution Bragg reflector; the low refractive index layer including the selectively-oxidized layer includes first and second layers, the first layer being in contact with at least one side of the selectively-oxidized layer, the second layer being in contact with the first layer; and Al content rate in the first layer is lower than the Al content rate in the selectively-oxidized layer and is greater than the Al content rate in the second layer.