Patent ID: 7577174

Claim:
A semiconductor laser element comprising: a first semiconductor portion including a first conductivity type semiconductor layer; a second semiconductor portion including a second conductivity type semiconductor layer; an active layer provided between said first semiconductor portion and said second semiconductor portion; a light emitting surface corresponding to one end face of said active layer; a light reflecting surface corresponding to the other end face of said active layer, which is opposed to the one end face, and arranged in such a manner that a first normal line that passes through the center thereof is substantially parallel with a second normal line that passes through the center of said light emitting surface; and a waveguide region formed in the active layer for communicating between said light reflecting surface and said light emitting surface, wherein said waveguide region includes, at least, first and second portions having respective different total reflection critical angles at the side surfaces thereof, wherein each of said first and second portions is arranged in the position where the relative angles of the side surfaces thereof to said light reflecting surface and said light emitting surface is greater than the total reflection critical angles at the side surfaces, and wherein the relative angles of the side surfaces of said first portion to said light reflecting surface and said light emitting surface is different from the relative angles of the side surfaces of said second portion.