A p-type semiconductor layer includes a plurality of unit semiconductor layers, and each of the plurality of unit semiconductor layers includes a p-type nitride semiconductor whose main surface is a polar surface or a semi-polar surface. The nitride semiconductor constituting the unit semiconductor layer includes nitrogen and two or more elements, and each of the plurality of unit semiconductor layers has a composition changing in a stacking direction such that, for example, a lattice constant in a c-axis direction increases in a c-axis positive direction.

A quantum cascade laser has an active layer, a first and second cladding layer, and an optical guide layer. The active layer has a plurality of injection quantum well regions and a plurality of light-emitting quantum well regions. The each of the injection quantum well regions and the each of the light-emitting quantum well regions are alternatively stacked. The first and second cladding layers are provided to interpose the active layer from both sides, and have a refractive index lower than an effective refractive index of the each of the light-emitting quantum well regions. The optical guide layer is disposed to divide the active layer into two parts. The optical guide layer has a refractive index higher than the effective refractive index of the each of the light-emitting quantum well regions, and has a thickness greater than the thickness of all well layers of quantum well layers.

A semiconductor laser element includes: an n-side semiconductor layer formed of a nitride semiconductor; an active layer disposed on or above the n-side semiconductor layer and formed of a nitride semiconductor; a p-side semiconductor layer disposed on the active layer, formed of a nitride semiconductor, and including: an undoped first part disposed in contact with an upper face of the active layer and comprising at least one semiconductor layer, an electron barrier layer disposed in contact with an upper face of the first part, containing a p-type impurity, and having a band gap energy that is larger than a band gap energy of the first part, and a second part disposed in contact with the upper face of the electron barrier layer and comprising at least one p-type semiconductor layer containing a p-type impurity; and a p-electrode disposed in contact with the upper face of the second part.

Provided is a nitride semiconductor element capable of stably withstand being driven at high current density without becoming insulated. The nitride semiconductor element includes an active layer and an AlGaN layer formed above the active layer and formed of AlGaN, the AlGaN containing Mg and having an Al composition ratio decreasing in a direction away from the active layer, and the Al composition ratio being larger than 0.2, in which the AlGaN layer includes a first AlGaN region in which a compositional gradient a1 of the Al composition ratio is larger than 0 Al %/nm and smaller than 0.22 Al %/nm, and a concentration b1 of the Mg in the AlGaN layer is larger than 0 cm.sup.−3 and smaller than 7.0×10.sup.19×a1-2.0×10.sup.18 cm.sup.−3.

Provided is a nitride semiconductor element that does not cause element breakdown even when driven at high current density. A nitride semiconductor element includes an active layer, an electron block layer formed above the active layer, an AlGaN layer formed on the electron block layer, and a cover layer covering an upper surface of the AlGaN layer and formed of AlGaN or GaN having a lower Al composition ratio than in the AlGaN layer, in which the AlGaN layer includes protrusions provided on a surface opposite to the active layer, and the cover layer covers the protrusions. The AlGaN layer is preferably formed of AlGaN having an Al composition ratio decreasing in a direction away from the active layer, and the protrusions preferably have a frustum shape.

In an embodiment an edge-emitting semiconductor laser includes a semiconductor layer sequence having a waveguide region with an active layer disposed between a first waveguide layer and a second waveguide layer and a layer system arranged outside the waveguide region configured to reduce facet defects in the waveguide region, wherein the layer system includes one or more layers with the material composition Al.sub.xIn.sub.yGa.sub.1-x-yN with 0≤x≤1, 0≤y<1 and x+y≤1, wherein at least one layer of the layer system includes an aluminum portion x≤0.05 or an indium portion y≥0.02, wherein a layer strain is at least 2 GPa at least in some areas, and wherein the semiconductor layer sequence is based on a nitride compound semiconductor material.

A nitride-based semiconductor light-emitting element includes a semiconductor stack body that includes: an N-type first cladding layer; an N-side guide layer; an active layer that includes a well layer and a barrier layer; a P-side guide layer; and a P-type cladding layer. Band gap energy of the P-side guide layer monotonically increases with an increase in distance from the active layer. An average of the band gap energy of the P-side guide layer is greater than or equal to an average of band gap energy of the N-side guide layer. Band gap energy of the barrier layer is less than or equal to a smallest value of the band gap energy of the N-side guide layer and a smallest value of the band gap energy of the P-side guide layer. A thickness of the P-side guide layer is greater than a thickness of the N-side guide layer.

A semiconductor structure can comprise a plurality of first semiconductor layers comprising wide bandgap semiconductor layers, a narrow bandgap semiconductor layer, and a chirp layer between the plurality of first semiconductor layers and the narrow bandgap semiconductor layer. The values of overlap integrals between different electron wavefunctions in a conduction band of the chirp layer can be less than 0.05 for intersubband transition energies greater than 1.0 eV, and/or the values of overlaps between electron wavefunctions and barrier centers in a conduction band of the chirp layer can be less than 0.3 nm.sup.−1, when the structure is biased at an operating potential. The chirp layer can comprise a short-period superlattice with alternating wide bandgap barrier layers and narrow bandgap well layers, wherein the thickness of the barrier layers, or the well layers, or the thickness of both the barrier and well layers changes throughout the chirp layer.

A semiconductor laser element includes an n-side semiconductor layer, an active layer, and a p-side semiconductor layer. A least a portion of the p-side semiconductor layer forms a ridge projecting upward. The p-side semiconductor layer includes an undoped first part, an electron barrier layer containing a p-type impurity and having a larger band gap energy than the first part, and a second part having at least one p-type semiconductor layer. The first part includes an undoped p-side composition graded layer in which a band gap energy increases towards the electron barrier layer, and an undoped p-side intermediate layer disposed on or above the p-side composition graded layer. A lower end of the ridge is positioned at the p-side intermediate layer.

A method of producing an ultraviolet laser diode with a low oscillation threshold current density includes stacking a first cladding layer, a light-emitting layer, and a second cladding layer on a substrate in this order to form a nitride semiconductor laminate (step S101), etching at least a portion of the nitride semiconductor laminate to form a mesa structure and setting the ratio between the length of the resonator end faces and the length of the side surfaces of the mesa structure in plan view between 1:5 and 1:500 (step S102), disposing first conductive material on a portion of a first area and applying heat treatment of 400° C. or higher to form a first electrode (step S103), and disposing a second conductive material in an area on the second cladding layer, at a distance of 5 um or more from the side surfaces, to form a second electrode (step S104).