Patent ID: 7573929

Claim:
A vertical-cavity surface-emitting laser diode (VCSEL) device, comprising: a laser element portion formed on a substrate, the laser element portion comprising a multi-layer reflective mirror of a first conductivity type, an active layer, and a multi-layer reflective mirror of a second conductivity type; and a light absorbing heat converting region at a position thermally connected to the laser element portion on the substrate, the light absorbing heat converting region absorbing light and generating heat; the light absorbing heat converting region comprising a compound that absorbs light and converts it into heat and is of any one of Ge—Sb—Te alloy, Sb metal, Ag—In—Sb—Te alloy, Ag—In—Sb—Te— alloy, lithium niobate, or methyl nitroaniline; the light absorbing heat converting region being formed, in a groove by removing a portion of a semiconductor layer of the laser element portion, and the light absorbing heat converting region being monolithically formed with the laser element portion on the substrate.