A method of manufacturing a light emitting element includes, sequentially (a) forming a first light reflecting layer having a convex shape; (b) forming a layered structure body by layering a first compound semiconductor layer, an active layer, and a second compound semiconductor layer; (c) forming, on the second surface of the second compound semiconductor layer, a second electrode and a second light reflecting layer formed from a multilayer film; (d) fixing the second light reflecting layer to a support substrate; (e) removing the substrate for manufacturing a light emitting element, and exposing the first surface of the first compound semiconductor layer and the first light reflecting layer; (f) etching the first surface of the first compound semiconductor layer; and (g) forming a first electrode on at least the etched first surface of the first compound semiconductor layer.

A Vertical Cavity Surface Emitting Laser (VCSEL) capable of providing high output of fundamental transverse mode while preventing oscillation of high-order transverse mode is provided. The VCSEL includes a semiconductor layer including an active layer and a current confinement layer, and a transverse mode adjustment section formed on the semiconductor layer. The current confinement layer has a current injection region and a current confinement region. The transverse mode adjustment section has a high reflectance area and a low reflectance area. The high reflectance area is formed in a region including a first opposed region opposing to a center point of the current injection region. A center point of the high reflectance area is arranged in a region different from the first opposed region. The low reflectance area is formed in a region where the high reflectance area is not formed, in an opposed region opposing to the current injection region.

Top emitting vertical cavity surface emitting lasers (VCSELs) are described with various top side optical gratings, etched into and/or fabricated over the VCSELs, to configure optical emission properties to suite a wide range of applications. Top side gratings are configured for spanning one or multiple emitters in any desired alignment/misalignment, using a wide range of refractive index materials and arrangements, levels of dimensionality (1D, 2D or 3D), forms of chirping of the grating, various grating periods, transmissive/reflective properties and in-plane coupling, ranges of diffractive orders, different relative amplitudes of transmitted and reflected orders, different polarizations, different levels of collimation, different levels of divergence, different diffraction and reflection, different beam diffusion, fixed or varied rotation of optical output, and far field engineering of the optical output.

A surface-emitting semiconductor laser includes a first emission region that outputs first light, and a second emission region that is provided separately from the first emission region, includes a phase shift section, and outputs second light. A far field pattern of the first light and a far field pattern of the second light are different from each other.

A surface-emitting semiconductor laser includes a semiconductor laminated structure that includes a first-conductivity-type layer, an active layer, and a second-conductivity-type layer and in which light generated in the active layer is extracted as laser light from a side of the second-conductivity-type layer while resonating along a lamination direction of these layers, a current constriction layer in which the active layer and the second-conductivity-type layer are electrically connected together through an opening, an insulating layer that has translucency with respect to an emission wavelength of the active layer, a first electrode electrically connected to the first-conductivity-type layer, and a second electrode electrically connected to the second-conductivity-type layer, and, in the surface-emitting semiconductor laser, a part of the insulating layer is exposed from the second electrode, and the insulating layer exposed from the second electrode includes a first portion that has a first thickness and a second portion that has a second thickness to make output of light emitted from the active layer smaller than the first portion in comparison with the first thickness and that surrounds the first portion.

To provide a two-dimensional photonic crystal surface emitting laser capable of improving characteristics of light to be emitted, in particular, optical output power. The two-dimensional photonic crystal surface emitting laser includes: a two-dimensional photonic crystal including a plate-shaped base member and modified refractive index regions where the modified refractive index regions have a refractive index different from that of the plate-shaped base member and are two-dimensionally and periodically arranged in the base member; an active layer provided on one side of the two-dimensional photonic crystal; and a first electrode and a second electrode provided sandwiching the two-dimensional photonic crystal and the active layer for supplying current to the active layer, where the second electrode covers a region equal to or wider than the first electrode.

An embodiment includes a light source. The light source may include a substrate and a diffuser. The substrate may include a first surface and a second surface. The second surface may be opposite the first surface. The diffuser may be carried by the substrate. The diffuser may be configured to receive an optical signal from the substrate after the optical signal propagates through the substrate and to control a particular profile of a resultant beam of the optical signal over two axes after the optical signal propagates through the integrated diffuser.

A light-emitting device includes a vertical-cavity surface-emitting laser, the resonant cavity of which is transverse multimode supporting transverse modes having rotational symmetry of order two about a main optical axis, and an index-contrast grating including a plurality of pads. The pads include: a central pad, a plurality of peripheral pads, which are periodically arranged along one or more lines that are concentric with respect to the central pad, and which are arranged so that the grating has, with respect to the main optical axis, a rotational symmetry of uneven order higher than or equal to three.

A light emitting device comprises a plurality of coherent light sources, and a plurality of light scattering structures. Each light scattering structure is located in an optical path for light output from a different corresponding one of the coherent light sources. Each light scattering structure comprises an arrangement of nanoantennas embedded in an electrically responsive material and electrical contacts by which to apply a voltage to the electrically responsive material. Application of a time varying electrical signal causes the refractive index of the electrically responsive material in a light scattering structure to vary and thereby varies light scattering by the nanoantennas in the light scattering structure. This effect may be used to reduce speckle caused by interference of light output by the coherent light sources.

A light emitting device includes a substrate, a laminated structure provided to the substrate, and including a plurality of columnar parts, and an electrode disposed at an opposite side to the substrate of the laminated structure, wherein the columnar parts have a light emitting layer, the columnar parts are disposed between the electrode and the substrate, light generated in the light emitting layer propagates through the plurality of columnar parts to cause laser oscillation, and the electrode is provided with a hole.