The present invention provides a semiconductor laser device for improving temperature characteristics of waveguide structures and realizing stable light emitting patterns and high output, and a method for making the same. The semiconductor laser device (1) comprises: an n-type clad layer (5) laminated on a substrate (2); an active layer (6) laminated on the n-type clad layer (5); a p-type clad layer (7) laminated on the active layer (6); and a plurality of waveguide structures (8) formed on the p-type clad layer (7) and having a ridge of a horn shape in top view. In this configuration, a divider (29) is formed between adjacent waveguide structures (8), and the divider (29) comprises: a groove (30) dividing the active layer (6); and a heat dissipation material (34) filled in the groove (30) and having a thermal conductivity higher than a thermal conductivity of a semiconductor layer (4).

A method for manufacturing a GaN-based surface-emitting laser by an MOVPE includes: (a) growing a first cladding layer with a {0001} growth plane; (b) growing a guide layer on the first cladding layer; (c) forming holes which are two-dimensionally periodically arranged within the guide layer; (d) etching the guide layer by ICP-RIE using a chlorine-based gas and an argon; (e) 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 (f) growing an active layer and a second cladding layer on the first embedding layer, The step (d) 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 semiconductor laser includes a semiconductor layer including end faces and at least one of the end faces is configured as a light emission end face. The semiconductor layer includes a waveguide and a light window structure region. The waveguide has a first width and is extended between the end faces. The light window structure region includes an opening having a second width greater than the first width arranged along the waveguide and is formed continuously or intermittently from one to another of the end faces.

A method for manufacturing an optical semiconductor device having a ridge stripe configuration containing an active layer and current blocking layers which embed both sides of the ridge stripe configuration, comprises steps of forming a mask of an insulating film on a surface of a semiconductor layer containing an active layer, forming a ridge stripe configuration by etching a semiconductor layer using gas containing SiCl.sub.4, removing an oxide layer with regard to a Si based residue which is attached on a surface which is etched of the ridge stripe configuration which is formed and removing a Si based residue whose oxide layer is removed.

A semiconductor laser in a ridge waveguide structure includes: a semiconductor substrate; a lower cladding layer which is formed on the semiconductor substrate; an active layer and a semiconductor layer which are in parallel on the lower cladding layer and are connected with each other; a first upper cladding layer locally aligned above the active layer; a second upper cladding layer locally aligned above the semiconductor layer; and a third upper cladding layer locally aligned above the active layer to confine light which is guided in the active layer, wherein the semiconductor layer has a band gap which is larger than that of the active layer. According to this constitution, an optical semiconductor device with high reliability in which the ridge waveguide structure whose manufacturing is relatively easy is applied, and current diffusion and electrical crosstalk between lasers in the ridge waveguide structure are suppressed is enabled.

A reproducible method for producing a resonant structure of a distributed-feedback semiconductor laser exhibiting a narrow waveguide of the order of some ten micrometers, the production of the diffraction grating being carried out subsequent to the step of producing the strip is provided. In a last step, a diffraction grating is engraved as a function of a desired precise wavelength.

A method for fabricating a surface emitting laser includes the steps of: carrying out etching of a semiconductor laminate with a mask; and stopping the etching in response to a detection signal from an end point detector in an etching apparatus. The mask has a device area including device sections and an accessary area. The device area has an aperture ratio (OPD/SC) having a first value, the aperture ratio (OPD/SC) being defined as a total area (OPD) of an opening in each device section to an area (SC) of the device section. The accessary area has an aperture ratio having a second value configured to have substantially the same value as the first value, the aperture ratio of the accessary area being defined as an area of the opening pattern in a portion having an area, which is equal to the area of the device section, in the accessary area.

A method for fabricating a surface emitting laser includes the steps of: preparing a processing apparatus with a first part and a second part, the processing apparatus including a first heater and a second heater that heat the first part and the second part, respectively; preparing a wafer product for forming a surface emitting laser, the wafer product including a semiconductor post including a III-V compound semiconductor layer containing aluminum as a constituent element, the III-V compound semiconductor layer being exposed at a side face of the semiconductor post; after disposing the wafer product in the second part, energizing the first heater and the second heater; supplying a first gas containing no oxidizing agent to the processing apparatus; and after stopping supplying the first gas, oxidizing the III-V compound semiconductor layer by supplying a second gas containing an oxidizing agent to the processing apparatus.

A method for fabricating a surface emitting laser includes the steps of: preparing an epitaxial substrate including a substrate and a laminate disposed on the substrate, the laminate including a Bragg reflector and an active layer; forming a mask for defining a semiconductor post on the epitaxial substrate; after forming the mask, placing the epitaxial substrate in an etching apparatus with an end point detector including an optical device; carrying out plasma etching of the epitaxial substrate by supplying a gas including boron chloride and chlorine in the etching apparatus; and stopping the plasma etching in response to an end point detection from the end point detector of the etching apparatus. The optical device of the end point detector detects an end point of a process through a viewport of the etching apparatus. The plasma etching is carried out in a process pressure of one Pascal or less.

A semiconductor light source including a planar optical component that focuses long-wavelength (e.g., infrared) light emitted in a resonant cavity into a nonlinear crystal, which then converts the long-wavelength light into light having a shorter wavelength (e.g., visible light) by frequency doubling. A wavelength-selective reflection layer on the nonlinear crystal reflects the long-wavelength light back into the resonant cavity to form an external cavity and transmits the light having the shorter wavelength out of the external cavity. The resonant cavity includes an active region that emits the long-wavelength light at a high efficiency. The planar optical component includes a micro-lens formed in semiconductor layers or a gradient refractive index lens formed in the nonlinear crystal.