Patent ID: 6917640

Claim:
A vertical cavity surface emitting laser comprising: a substrate; a lower reflector layer laminated on the substrate; an active layer formed on the lower reflector, the active layer generating light; one or more insulation regions formed on the active layer by an oxidable layer to define an aperture for guiding a flow of electric currents; an upper reflector layer laminated on the insulation regions; one or more upper electrode formed on the upper reflector layer; and a lower electrode formed on the bottom surface of the substrate, the laser having at least one longitudinal segment of what prior to segmentation would constitute a trench whose two ends curve to meet and thereby form a closed curve, a depth of the at least one segment being extended through the upper reflector layer and the active layer and into at least part of the lower reflector layer, said at least one segment being configured to achieve a spatial oxidation pattern of predetermined shape by compensating for lattice-directionality-based variation of oxidation rates; and an insulation film formed to cover the bottom and side walls of said at least one segment.