A vertical external-cavity surface-emitting laser (VECSEL) whose blueshift is reduced also in a high intensity range of emitted laser light is realized. A surface-emitting device for VECSEL includes a base substrate made of GaN and c-axis oriented, and an emitter structure formed of a group 13 nitride semiconductor and provided on the base substrate. The emitter structure is formed of unit deposition parts, each of which is provided on the base substrate and includes a DBR layer having a distributed Bragg reflection structure and an active layer that has a multiple quantum well structure and generates excitation emission in response to irradiation with external laser light. A c-axis orientation of each of the unit deposition parts conforms to the c-axis orientation of the base substrate located directly below the unit deposition parts. Grooves are formed between the unit deposition parts.

A semiconductor device comprising: a layered structure 20 configured by layering a first compound semiconductor layer 21, an active layer 23, and a second compound semiconductor layer 22; a substrate 11; a first light reflecting layer 41 arranged on the first surface side of the first compound semiconductor layer 21; and a second light reflecting layer 42 arranged on the second surface side of the second compound semiconductor layer 22, wherein the second light reflecting layer 42 has a flat shape; a concave surface portion 12 is formed on a substrate surface 11b; the first light reflecting layer 41 is formed on at least the concave surface portion 12; the first compound semiconductor layer 21 is formed to extend from the substrate surface 11b onto the concave surface portion 12; and a cavity is present between the first light reflecting layer 41 formed on the concave surface portion 12 and the first compound semiconductor layer 21.

Epitaxial lateral overgrowth (ELO) III-nitride layers are grown on or above an opening area of a growth restrict mask deposited on a substrate, wherein the growth of the ELO III-nitride layers and/or a subsequent regrowth layer form one or more voids. III-nitride device layers are grown on or above the ELO III-nitride layers and/or regrowth layer. Stress is applied to a breaking point at the substrate, with the voids assisting the application of stress, so that a bar of devices comprised of the III-nitride device layers, the ELO III-nitride layers and the regrowth layer is removed from the substrate. The voids release stress from the growth restrict mask, which helps prevent cracks. Decomposition of the growth restrict mask is avoided to prevent compensation of p-type layers.

A light emitting apparatus includes a laminate including a columnar section. The columnar section includes an n-type semiconductor layer, a first p-type semiconductor layer, a light emitting layer provided between the n-type semiconductor layer and the first p-type semiconductor layer, and a second p-type semiconductor layer in contact with the first p-type semiconductor layer. The first p-type semiconductor layer is provided between the light emitting layer and the second p-type semiconductor layer. The first p-type semiconductor layer has a c-plane and a facet surface. The second p-type semiconductor layer has a c-plane region provided at the c-plane and a facet-surface region provided at the facet surface. The c-plane region has negatively polarized charges at an interface with the first p-type semiconductor layer. The facet-surface region has positively polarized charges at the interface.

A laser element comprises a substrate; and an n-type semiconductor layer, a light emitting layer, a p-type semiconductor layer, and an electrode layer successively laminated on one principal surface of the substrate, wherein the p-type semiconductor layer includes a ridge raised in a stripe shape, the ridge including a contact layer formed in a layer including a principal surface on a side opposite to the substrate, a stepped portion defined by recessing the contact layer is formed in at least part of a boundary between a lateral surface among surfaces defining outer edges of the ridge, the lateral surface extending along a lengthwise direction of the ridge, and the principal surface of the ridge, and the electrode layer covers the principal surface of the ridge and the stepped portion.

The present invention provides a device and method for a laser based light source using a combination of laser diode or waveguide gain element excitation source based on gallium and nitrogen containing materials and wavelength conversion phosphor materials designed for inherent safety. In this invention a violet, blue, or other wavelength laser diode source based on gallium and nitrogen materials is closely integrated with phosphor materials, such as yellow phosphors, to form a compact, high-brightness, and highly-efficient, light source with closed loop design features to yield the light source as an eye safe light source.

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 semiconductor laser element includes a light emission layer and a plurality of waveguides to arranged in one direction. A semiconductor laser device includes the semiconductor laser element and a first base disposed, via a first adhesion layer, on one face in the lamination direction of the semiconductor laser element. The thermal resistance of the first adhesion layer is, in the arrangement direction of the plurality of waveguides to lower on one end portion side than on the other end portion side.

A method for manufacturing a surface emitting laser made of a group-III nitride semiconductor by an MOVPE method includes: (a) growing a first cladding layer of a first conductive type on a substrate; (b) growing a first optical guide layer of the first conductive type on the first cladding layer; (c) forming holes having a two-dimensional periodicity in a plane parallel to the first optical guide layer, in the first optical guide layer by etching; (d) supplying a gas containing a group-III material and a nitrogen source and performing growth to form recessed portions having a facet of a predetermined plane direction above openings of the holes, thereby closing the openings of the holes; and (e) planarizing the recessed portions by mass transport, after the openings of the holes have been closed, wherein after the planarizing at least one side surface of the holes is a {10-10} facet.

A light emitting device includes a substrate, and a laminated structure provided to the substrate, and including a columnar part, wherein the columnar part includes a first GaN layer having a first conductivity type, a second GaN layer having a second conductivity type different from the first conductivity type, and a light emitting layer disposed between the first GaN layer and the second GaN layer, the first GaN layer is disposed between the substrate and the light emitting layer, the light emitting layer has a first well layer as an InGaN layer, the first GaN layer has a c-face region, the first GaN layer has a crystal structure of a cubical crystal, and has a first layer constituting the c-face region, and a second layer as a GaN layer having a crystal structure of a hexagonal crystal is disposed between the first layer and the first well layer.