Patent ID: 8325777

Claim:
A surface-emitting laser device, comprising: a first reflective layer formed of a semiconductor distributed Bragg reflector on a substrate; a first cavity spacer layer formed in contact with the first reflective layer; an active layer formed in contact with the first cavity spacer layer; a second cavity spacer layer formed in contact with the active layer; and a second reflective layer formed of a semiconductor distributed Bragg reflector in contact with the second cavity spacer layer wherein the first reflective layer includes a plurality of low refractive index layers and the second reflective layer includes a first part formed of an AlGaInP-based material in contact with the second cavity spacer layer and a second part formed of an AlGaAs-based material in contact with the first part, the first part including one or more low refractive index layers; and a thermal conductivity of a semiconductor material of one of the low refractive index layers of the first reflective layer which one is disposed closest to the active layer is greater than a thermal conductivity of a semiconductor material of one of the one or more low refractive index layers of the second reflective layer which one is disposed closest to the active layer; wherein: the one of the one or more low refractive index layers of the second reflective layer which one is disposed closest to the active layer includes (Al e Ga 1-e ) f In 1-f P (0<e≦1, 0≦f≦1); the one of the one or more low refractive index layers of the first reflective layer which one is disposed closest to the active layer includes Al x Ga 1-x As (0<x≦1) having the thermal conductivity greater than the thermal conductivity of said (Al e Ga 1-e ) f In 1-f P; and the substrate is connected to a heat sink.