Patent ID: 7563630

Claim:
A method for fabricating a buried semiconductor laser device comprising the steps of: forming a mesa structure including a bottom cladding layer, an active layer and an upper cladding layer overlying a semiconductor substrate, the mesa structure having at least one side surface with the active layer having an exposed side thereat; and growing a first current-confinement layer on the mesa's at least one side surface, the first current-confinement layer comprising a semiconductor material and having a first conductivity type; growing a second current-confinement layer above at least a portion of the first current-confinement layer, the second current-confinement layer comprising a semiconductor material and having a second conductivity type which is opposite to the first conductivity type; and wherein the first current-confinement layer is grown at a temperature ranging from 610° C. to 700° C. using a raw material gas containing a group V element gas and a group III element gas at a molar ratio of the group V element gas with respect to the group III element gas between 50 and 500, inclusive, and the second current-confinement layer is formed using a raw material gas having a molar ratio different from the molar ratio used in the formation of the first current-confinement layer.