Patent ID: 7366218

Claim:
A laser array comprising a plurality of vertical cavity surface emitting laser diodes, each comprising: a lower semiconductor reflector; an active region; an upper semiconductor reflector constituting a resonator with the lower semiconductor reflector; a metallic part being formed on the upper semiconductor reflector, and having a first aperture defining an output region of laser light generated in the active region; and a light confining region being provided between the metallic part and the lower semiconductor reflector, and having a second aperture defining an emission region of the laser light, wherein the upper semiconductor reflector has a contact layer in contact with the metallic part and a lenticular medium formed in a part of the contact layer, the lenticular medium having a convex surface toward the lower semiconductor reflector, wherein the contact layer has a thickness of from 50 to 500 nm at a part not in contact with the lenticular medium, and a thickness of 50 nm or less at a part in contact with the lenticular medium, and wherein plural first apertures of the plurality of vertical cavity surface emitting laser diodes are formed in an array form on a substrate.