Patent ID: 8198639

Claim:
A method of manufacturing a semiconductor light emitting device having a ridge, comprising the steps of: selectively etching a substrate formed by successively stacking an n-type semiconductor layered portion including an AlGaN layer, a light emitting layer containing In and a p-type semiconductor layered portion on a group III nitride semiconductor substrate having a larger lattice constant than AlGaN, the selective etching performed from the side of the p-type semiconductor layered portion along a cutting line to form etching grooves exposing the AlGaN layer along the cutting line so that the etching grooves are formed apart from the ridge; forming a pair of ridge protecting electrodes on both sides of the ridge, wherein the pair of ridge protecting electrodes includes top faces higher than an upper surface of the ridge and the pair of ridge protecting electrodes does not overlap the upper surface of the ridge; forming a plurality of division guide grooves along the cutting line on the exposed AlGaN layer on bottom surface portions of the etching grooves; and dividing the substrate along the division guide groove, wherein the etching grooves include etching grooves extending along entire regions of both side edges parallel to the ridge, and an etching groove extending perpendicular to the ridge while avoiding the ridge.