Patent ID: 7445949

Claim:
A method of fabricating a semiconductor laser device, comprising the steps of: providing an epitaxial structure having an N-type electrode area and a P-type electrode area; forming a first mask layer over the epitaxial structure to define a protrudent area of a ridge structure within the P-type electrode area and an N-type ohmic contact metal area within the N-type electrode area; forming a conformal second mask layer over the epitaxial structure to cover the first mask layer; forming a third mask layer over the second mask layer to expose a portion of the second mask layer above the first mask layer within the P-type electrode area; removing the exposed second mask layer; removing a portion of the epitaxial structure using the first mask layer and the third mask layer within the P-type electrode area as an etching mask to form the ridge structure inside the P-type electrode area; removing the third mask layer and the remaining second mask layer; forming an insulating layer over the epitaxial structure to cover the ridge structure within the P-type electrode area and the N-type ohmic contact metal area within the N-type electrode area; removing the first mask layer to expose the top surface of the protrudent area of the ridge structure within the P-type electrode area and the N-type ohmic contact metal area within the N-type electrode area; forming a first conductive layer over the exposed N-type ohmic contact metal area; and forming a second conductive layer over the top surface of the protrudent area, wherein the second conductive layer fully contacts the top surface of the protrudent area.