Patent ID: 7379485

Claim:
A semiconductor optical device comprising: a first conductive type semiconductor region including a first semiconductor portion and a second semiconductor portion, the first semiconductor portion having a first region and a second region, the first and second regions being arranged along a predetermined plane, the second semiconductor portion being provided on the first region of the first semiconductor portion, and the second semiconductor portion having a side; an active layer provided on the second semiconductor portion of the first conductive type semiconductor region, the active layer having a top and a side, and a bandgap energy of the first conductive type semiconductor region being greater than that of the active layer; a second conductive type semiconductor region provided on the second region of the first semiconductor portion of the first conductive type semiconductor region, the side of the second semiconductor portion of the first conductive type semiconductor region, the top and side of the active layer, the second region of the first conductive type semiconductor region and the second conductive type semiconductor region constituting a pn junction, and a bandgap energy of the second conductive type semiconductor region being greater than that of the active layer; a first distributed Bragg reflector portion including first distributed Bragg reflector layers and second distributed Bragg reflector layers, and the first and second distributed Bragg reflector layers being arranged alternately; and a second distributed Bragg reflector portion including third distributed Bragg reflector layers and fourth distributed Bragg reflector layers, the third and fourth distributed Bragg reflector layers being arranged alternately, the first conductive type semiconductor region, and the active layer and the second conductive type semiconductor region being provided between the first distributed Bragg reflector portion and the second distributed Bragg reflector layers.