Patent ID: 7602827

Claim:
A process for manufacturing a semiconductor laser comprising: forming a multilayer film including an active layer on a semiconductor substrate; separating the multilayer film to form a pair of grooves extending into the semiconductor substrate; and forming an electrode on the multilayer film between the pair of grooves, wherein said forming the multilayer film on the semiconductor substrate comprises forming a plurality of diffraction gratings on a diffraction grating forming surface formed partially in an upper surface of the semiconductor substrate or an upper surface of any of the semiconductor films in the multilayer film, wherein said forming the pair of grooves comprises forming a plurality of diffraction gratings in entirely only a first area from one to another of the pair of the grooves, or forming a plurality of diffraction gratings in entirely the first area and in less than an entirety of a second area outside of the pair of grooves, and wherein when said forming the pair of grooves comprises forming a plurality of diffraction gratings in entirely the first area and partially a second area outside of the pair of grooves, said forming the pair of grooves comprises forming the plurality of diffraction gratings comprising forming diffraction gratings being in contact with the pair of grooves in the second area.