A semiconductor laser diode and a method for manufacturing a semiconductor laser diode are disclosed. In an embodiment a semiconductor laser diode includes an epitaxially produced semiconductor layer sequence comprising at least one active layer and a gallium-containing passivation layer on at least one surface region of the semiconductor layer sequence.

A semiconductor light-emitting device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure includes an n-type semiconductor layer, a p-type semiconductor layer, and an active layer provided between the n-type semiconductor layer and the p-type semiconductor layer and including a plurality of well layers. In the plurality of well layers included in the active layer, a band gap inclination angle 1 of a second well layer located relatively close to the p-type semiconductor layer is smaller than a band gap inclination angle 2 of a first well layer located relatively close to the n-type semiconductor layer.

Semiconductor Quantum Cascade Lasers (QCLs), in particular mid-IR lasers emitting at wavelengths of about 3-50 m, are often designed as deep etched buried heterostructure QCLs. The buried heterostructure configuration is favored since the high thermal conductivity of the burying layers, usually of InP, and the low losses guarantee devices high power and high performance. However, if such QCLs are designed for and operated at short wavelengths, a severe disadvantage shows up: the high electric field necessary for such operation drives the operating current partly inside the insulating burying layer. This reduces the current injected into the active region and produces thermal losses, thus degrading performance of the QCL. The invention solves this problem by providing, within the burying layers, effectively designed current blocking or quantum barriers of, e.g. AIAs, InAIAs, InGaAs, InGaAsP, or InGaSb, sandwiched between the usual InP or other burying layers, intrinsic or Fe-doped. These quantum barriers reduce the described negative effect greatly and controllably, resulting in a QCL operating effectively also at short wavelengths and/or in high electric fields.

A semiconductor light-emitting device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure includes an n-type semiconductor layer, a p-type semiconductor layer, and an active layer provided between the n-type semiconductor layer and the p-type semiconductor layer and including a plurality of well layers. In the plurality of well layers included in the active layer, a band gap inclination angle 1 of a second well layer located relatively close to the p-type semiconductor layer is smaller than a band gap inclination angle 2 of a first well layer located relatively close to the n-type semiconductor layer.

A semiconductor laser light source includes a semiconductor substrate formed of a first conductivity type semiconductor material, a lower cladding layer formed of the first conductivity type semiconductor material on the semiconductor substrate, a waveguide layer on the lower cladding layer, and an upper cladding layer formed of a second conductivity type semiconductor material on the waveguide layer. The waveguide layer includes a core area and rib areas thinner than the core area on either side of the core area. The core area has a quantum dot active layer, and the rib areas have no quantum dot layer. The waveguide layer forms a laser part having the core area with a constant width and a spot size converter having the core area with a taper width from a side adjacent to the laser part toward an end of the spot size converter.

A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device includes a step of forming a mesa portion including an active layer above a substrate, and an n-type layer above the active layer, a step of forming a current confinement portion on left and right of the mesa portion, the current confinement portion including a p-type current blocking layer, an n-type current blocking layer above the p-type current blocking layer, and an i-type or p-type current blocking layer above the n-type current blocking layer, and a p-type doping step of diffusing p-type impurities into the i-type or p-type current blocking layer, an upper portion of the n-type current blocking layer, and left and right portions of the n-type layer to change the upper portion of the n-type current blocking layer and the left and right portions of the n-type layer to p-type semiconductors.

A semiconductor laser light source includes a semiconductor substrate formed of a first conductivity type semiconductor material, a lower cladding layer formed of the first conductivity type semiconductor material on the semiconductor substrate, a waveguide layer on the lower cladding layer, and an upper cladding layer formed of a second conductivity type semiconductor material on the waveguide layer. The waveguide layer includes a core area and rib areas thinner than the core area on either side of the core area. The core area has a quantum dot active layer, and the rib areas have no quantum dot layer. The waveguide layer forms a laser part having the core area with a constant width and a spot size converter having the core area with a taper width from a side adjacent to the laser part toward an end of the spot size converter.