Patent ID: 7483469

Claim:
A surface-emitting type semiconductor laser comprising: a substrate; a first mirror formed above the substrate; an active layer formed above the first mirror; a second mirror formed above the active layer; an electrode formed above the second mirror; and a lens section formed above the second mirror, the electrode having an opening section, a circumference of the lens section being match up a circumference of the opening section, the lens section having a function to change a path of light that is emitted from an upper surface of the second mirror, at least one of the first mirror, the active layer and the second mirror having a photonic crystal region having a refractive index distribution that is periodic in a plane direction, the photonic crystal region having a defect region and having a function to confine light in the defect region, the defect region having no holes formed therein, a plurality of holes, exposed to a surface upon which the lens is formed and extending in a thickness direction perpendicular to the plane direction, being formed in the photonic crystal region, and a material within the plurality of holes and a material of the lens being independent from each other.