Patent ID: 8265115

Claim:
A method for manufacturing a surface emitting laser including a laminate of a lower multilayer minor, an active layer, and an upper multilayer minor which are provided in that order on a substrate, the method comprising: a step of forming a second oxidizable layer in the laminate; a step of forming a first oxidizable layer above the second oxidizable layer in the laminate; a step of partially oxidizing the first oxidizable layer to form a first current confinement layer including a first conductive region and a first insulating region; and a step of partially oxidizing the second oxidizable layer to form a second current confinement layer including a second conductive region and a second insulating region after the step of forming the first current confinement layer, a boundary between the first conductive region and the first insulating region being disposed inside the second current confinement layer in an in-plane direction of the substrate, wherein the first oxidizable layer and the second oxidizable layer or a layer adjacent to the first oxidizable layer and a layer adjacent to the second oxidizable layer are adjusted so that when both layers are oxidized under the same conditions, the oxidation rate of the first oxidizable layer is lower than that of the second oxidizable layer.