A method for manufacturing a GaN-based surface-emitting laser by an MOVPE includes: growing a first cladding layer with a {0001} growth plane; growing a guide layer on the first cladding layer; forming holes which are two-dimensionally periodically arranged within the guide layer; etching the guide layer by ICP-RIE using a chlorine-based gas and an argon; supplying a gas containing a nitrogen to cause mass-transport, and then supplying the group-III gas for growth, whereby a first embedding layer closing openings of the holes is formed to form a photonic crystal layer; and growing an active layer and a second cladding layer on the first embedding layer, The step includes a step of referring to already-obtained data on a relationship of an attraction voltage and a ratio of gases in the ICP-RIE with a diameter distribution of air holes embedded, and applying the attraction voltage and the ratio to the ICP-RIE.

A light-emitting device including a substrate, a plurality of column portions each including a first semiconductor layer of a first conductivity type, a second semiconductor layer of a second conductivity type different from the first conductivity type, and a light-emitting layer provided between the first semiconductor layer and the second semiconductor layer, an electrode including a first electrode layer electrically coupled to the second semiconductor layer of each of the plurality of column portions, and a second electrode layer provided on an opposite side of the first electrode layer from the substrate and having an electrical resistivity lower than an electrical resistivity of the first electrode layer, wherein the first electrode layer includes a first portion in contact with the second electrode layer on the opposite side from the substrate, and a second portion not in contact with the second electrode layer on the opposite side from the substrate and having a greater thickness than the first portion.

A portable lighting apparatus is provided with a gallium-and-nitrogen containing laser diode based white light source combined with an infrared illumination source which are driven by drivers disposed in a printed circuit board assembly enclosed in a compact housing and powered by a portable power supply therein. The portable lighting apparatus includes a first wavelength converter configured to output a white-color emission and an infrared emission. A beam shaper may be configured to direct the white-color emission and the infrared emission to a front aperture of a compact housing of the portable lighting apparatus. An optical transmitting unit is configured to project or transmit a directional light beam of the white light emission and/or the infrared emission for illuminating a target of interest, transmitting a pulsed sensing signal or modulated data signal generated by the drivers therein. In some configurations, detectors are included for depth sensing and visible/infrared light communications.

A nitride-based semiconductor light-emitting element includes a semiconductor stack body that includes: an N-type first cladding layer; an N-side guide layer; an active layer that includes a well layer and a barrier layer; a P-side guide layer; and a P-type cladding layer. Band gap energy of the P-side guide layer monotonically increases with an increase in distance from the active layer. An average of the band gap energy of the P-side guide layer is greater than or equal to an average of band gap energy of the N-side guide layer. Band gap energy of the barrier layer is less than or equal to a smallest value of the band gap energy of the N-side guide layer and a smallest value of the band gap energy of the P-side guide layer. A thickness of the P-side guide layer is greater than a thickness of the N-side guide layer.

A light-emitting device includes a substrate, a laminated structure having a plurality of column portions, and an electrode provided on a side of the laminated structure opposite to the substrate. Each of the plurality of column portions includes a light-emitting layer. The electrode is provided with a plurality of first holes. The plurality of column portions form a first photonic crystal. The electrode forms a second photonic crystal. The first photonic crystal and the second photonic crystal are optically coupled to each other.

Disclosed herein are multi-layered optically active regions for semiconductor light-emitting devices (LEDs) that incorporate intermediate carrier blocking layers, the intermediate carrier blocking layers having design parameters for compositions and doping levels selected to provide at least one strain compensation layer and efficient control over the carrier injection distribution across the active regions to achieve desired device injection characteristics. Examples of embodiments discussed herein include, among others: a multiple-quantum-well variable-color LED operating in visible optical range with full coverage of RGB gamut, a multiple-quantum-well variable-color LED operating in visible optical range with an extended color gamut beyond standard RGB gamut, a multiple-quantum-well light-white emitting LED with variable color temperature, and a multiple-quantum-well LED with uniformly populated active layers.

Tunnel junctions (TJs) are used to invert a relative arrangement of the built-in polarization and current flow direction for metal (Ill)-polar grown Ill-nitride laser diodes (LDs). The resulting devices has subsequent TJ, p-type layers, active region and n-type layers. This arrangement ensures a band alignment which provides an injection efficiency of 100% without the need of close proximity of an electron blocking layer.

A vertical cavity light-emitting element includes a first multilayer film reflecting mirror, a light transmissive first electrode, a first semiconductor layer having a first conductivity type, a light-emitting layer, a second semiconductor layer having a second conductivity type opposite to the first conductivity type, a second multilayer film reflecting mirror, and a semiconductor substrate. The second multilayer film reflecting mirror includes a plurality of semiconductor layers having the second conductivity type and constitutes a resonator together with the first multilayer film reflecting mirror. The semiconductor substrate is formed on the second multilayer film reflecting mirror, has an upper surface and a projecting portion projecting from the upper surface, and has the second conductivity type. A second electrode is formed on the upper surface of the semiconductor substrate.

A light emitting apparatus includes a laminated structure provided at a substrate and including a plurality of columnar sections. The plurality of columnar sections each includes a light emitting layer including a plurality of first well layers, a first semiconductor layer provided between the substrate and the light emitting layer and containing Ga and N, an optical confining layer provided between the first semiconductor layer and the light emitting layer and confining light in the light emitting layer, and a second well layer provided between the first semiconductor layer and the optical confining layer. The first well layers and the second well layer are made of InGaN. The optical confining layer includes an InGaN layer. The composition formula of the first well layers is In.sub.xGa.sub.1-xN. The composition formula of the InGaN layer of the optical confining layer is In.sub.yGa.sub.1-yN. The composition formula of the second well layer is In.sub.zGa.sub.1-zN. The parameters x, y, and z satisfy 0<y<z<x<1.

A light emitting apparatus includes a substrate and a laminated structure provided at a substrate surface of the substrate and including a plurality of columnar sections. The columnar sections each include a light emitting layer which has a first end facing the substrate and a second end facing away from the substrate. A first cross section of each of the columnar sections taken along the directions perpendicular to the lamination direction of the laminated structure includes the first end. A second cross section of each of the columnar sections taken along the directions perpendicular to the lamination direction is a cross section that is part of the light emitting layer and located at a position shifted from the first cross section toward the side away from the substrate in the lamination direction. In the plan view viewed in the lamination direction, the position of the center of the first cross section differs from the position of the center of the second cross section.