Patent ID: 7888149

Claim:
A method of manufacturing a surface emitting laser comprising: laminating a semiconductor layer on a substrate, the semiconductor layer including a lower mirror, an active layer, and an upper mirror; forming a first etching region by etching a part of the upper mirror from an upper portion of the upper mirror; forming a resist on the upper mirror following the forming the first etching region; patterning the resist to form a pattern for forming a surface relief structure by a stepped structure and for forming a second etching region as one step; forming the second etching region, following the patterning, using the pattern, from a bottom portion of the first etching region to a semiconductor layer for forming a current confining structure, the semiconductor layer being provided one of in the upper mirror and between the upper mirror and the active layer, below the first etching region; forming the current confining structure by oxidizing, from the second etching region, a part of the semiconductor layer for forming the current confining structure; and forming, in a light emitting portion on a front surface side of the upper mirror, the surface relief structure by the stepped structure by etching, following the patterning, using the pattern, a part of the upper mirror, wherein the second etching region is smaller in depth than the first etching region.