A communication module includes a laser driving unit (LDU) and one or more multifunction illumination units. The one or more multifunction illumination units are be coupled to the LDU with an electrical connection and configured to transmit both electrical power and data.

This optical semiconductor element includes: a substrate; a first ridge formed on the substrate and having a first first-conductivity-type cladding layer, a first core layer, a first second-conductivity-type cladding layer, and a first contact layer in this order from a lower side, with first ridge grooves provided on both lateral sides of the first ridge; and a first electrode formed in contact with the first contact layer, on the first ridge, without spreading to the first ridge grooves, the first electrode including a first solder layer.

A vertical cavity light-emitting element includes a substrate, a first multilayer reflector, a semiconductor structure layer, an electrode layer, and a second multilayer reflector. The semiconductor structure layer includes a first semiconductor layer of a first conductivity type on the first multilayer reflector, a light-emitting layer on the first semiconductor layer, and a second semiconductor layer of a second conductivity type on the light-emitting layer. The electrode layer is on an upper surface of the semiconductor structure layer and is electrically in contact with the second semiconductor layer in one region of the upper surface. The second multilayer reflector covers the one region on the electrode layer and constitutes a resonator with the first multilayer reflector. The semiconductor structure layer has one recessed structure including one or a plurality of recessed portions passing through the light-emitting from the upper surface in a region surrounding the one region.

A photonic crystal surface-emitting laser includes a substrate, an n-type cladding layer, an active layer, an index matching layer and a photonic crystal structure. The n-type cladding layer is disposed over the substrate. The active layer is disposed over the n-type cladding layer. The index matching layer is disposed over the n-type cladding layer and is arranged around the active layer. The index matching layer is electrically insulating, and an effective refractive index of the index matching layer is substantially identical to an effective refractive index of the active layer. The photonic crystal structure is disposed over the active layer and the index matching layer.

A semiconductor device includes an electrode which is arranged on an organic material with an insulation film interposed therebetween and which does not easily peel away from the organic material along with the insulation film. An insulation film in a region including pad portions of a phase shift electrode and a modulation electrode has openings at the centers of the pad portions of the phase shift electrode and the modulation electrode, the edge portions of which are formed on the phase shift electrode and the modulation electrode. In this way, the adjoining edges of the phase shift electrode and modulation electrode and the insulation film are all covered by the insulation film so as not to be exposed to the atmosphere. By covering the cracks that occur in the insulation film in the production process with the insulation film made of SiO.sub.2, SiN.sub.X, SiON.sub.X or the like, an organic solvent such as acetone or ethanol used in the process can be prevented from seeping in between the insulation film and the organic material through the cracks in the insulation film.

Provided is a variable-wavelength surface emission laser having a wide wavelength variation range. A partial region of a thin-plate substrate (22) and a movable mirror (20), the partial region being positioned between an air gap (G1) and a movable gap (G2), can move toward the air gap (G1) side or the movable gap (G2) side.

A light emitting element includes: a laminated structure 20 obtained by laminating a first compound semiconductor layer 21, an active layer 23, and a second compound semiconductor layer 22; a first light reflecting layer 41 disposed on a first surface side of the first compound semiconductor layer 21; a second light reflecting layer 42 disposed on a second surface side of the second compound semiconductor layer 22; and light convergence/divergence changing means 50. The first light reflecting layer 41 is formed on a concave mirror portion 43. The second light reflecting layer 42 has a flat shape. When light generated in the active layer 23 is emitted to the outside, a light convergence/divergence state before the light is incident on the light convergence/divergence changing means 50 is different from a light convergence/divergence state after the light passes through the light convergence/divergence changing means 50.

Provided is a semiconductor laser device including a plurality of semiconductor laser units LDC that are capable of being independently driven, and a spatial light modulator SLM that is optically coupled to a group of the plurality of semiconductor laser units LDC. Each of the semiconductor laser units includes a pair of clad layers having an active layer 4 interposed therebetween, and a diffractive lattice layer 6 that is optically coupled to the active layer 4. The semiconductor laser device includes a ¼ wavelength plate 26 that is disposed between a group of the active layers 4 of the plurality of semiconductor laser units LDC and a reflection film 23, and a polarizing plate 27 that is disposed between the group of the active layers 4 of the plurality of semiconductor laser units LDC and a light emitting surface.

A semiconductor optical device may include a semiconductor substrate; a mesa stripe structure that extends in a stripe shape in a first direction on the semiconductor substrate and includes a contact layer on a top layer; an adjacent layer on the semiconductor substrate and adjacent to the mesa stripe structure in a second direction orthogonal to the first direction; a passivation film that covers at least a part of the adjacent layer; a resin layer on the passivation film; an electrode that is electrically connected to the contact layer and extends continuously from the contact layer to the resin layer; and an inorganic insulating film that extends continuously from the resin layer to the passivation film under the electrode, is spaced apart from the mesa stripe structure, and is completely interposed between the electrode and the resin layer.

A method for fabricating a buried heterostructure semiconductor optical amplifier is provided. The method includes a step providing a patterned dielectric layer on a substrate, the patterned dielectric layer having openings to expose uncovered regions of the substrate. The method also includes, in a single metal organic chemical vapour deposition (MOCVD) run: etching the uncovered regions of the substrate to form angles at corresponding edges thereof and diffusing a p-dopant in the substrate to obtain a p-dopant distribution in a portion of the substrate; etching a portion of the p-dopant thereby defining a recess in the substrate and growing a n-blocking layer in the recess; sequentially growing, over a portion of the n-blocking layer, an active region, a p-overclad, a p-contact, and a p-metal contact; and growing a n-metal contact on a backside of the substrate. The single MOCVD run combines selective area growth, p-dopant diffusion and etching techniques.