Method for producing semiconductor laser, semiconductor laser, optical pickup, and optical disk drive

摘要

A method for producing a semiconductor laser having an edge window structure includes the steps of forming masks of insulating films on a nitride-based III-V compound semiconductor substrate including first regions and second regions periodically arranged in parallel therebetween; and growing a nitride-based III-V compound semiconductor layer in a region not covered by the masks. The first region between each two adjacent second regions has two or more positions, symmetrical with respect to a center line thereof, where laser stripes are to be formed. The masks are formed on one or both sides of each of the positions where the laser stripes are to be formed at least near a position where edge window structures are to be formed such that the masks are symmetrical with respect to the center line. The nitride-based III-V compound semiconductor layer includes an active layer containing at least indium and gallium.

主权项

1. A semiconductor laser having an edge window structure, comprising:
a nitride-based III-V compound semiconductor substrate including a first region formed of a single crystal and having a first average dislocation density and a second region having a second average dislocation density higher than the first average dislocation density and disposed along a side parallel to a resonator length direction; a mask of an insulating film disposed on the nitride-based III-V compound semiconductor substrate at least at a position corresponding to the edge window structure; and a nitride-based III-V compound semiconductor layer including an active layer and grown in a region not covered by the mask on the nitride-based III-V compound semiconductor substrate, wherein,
the mask has a first end and a second end in the resonator length direction,the first end of the mask is positioned at a resonator-edge forming position and a first portion of the mask extends from the first end over a given distance in the resonator length direction, the first portion having a first width that is constant starting at the first end and continuing over the given distance in the resonator length direction, anda second portion of the mask has a second width that decreases linearly, in the resonator length direction, from the first width to a zero width at the second end.