GROUP III NITRIDE SEMICONDUCTOR LASER DIODE

摘要

Provided is a III-nitride semiconductor laser diode which is capable of lasing at a low threshold. A support base 13 has a semipolar or nonpolar primary surface 13a. The c-axis Cx of a III-nitride is inclined relative to the primary surface 13a. An n-type cladding region 15 and a p-type cladding region 17 are provided above the primary surface 13a of the support base 13. A core semiconductor region 19 is provided between the n-type cladding region 15 and the p-type cladding region 17. The core semiconductor region 19 includes a first optical guide layer 21, an active layer 23, and a second optical guide layer 25. The active layer 23 is provided between the first optical guide layer 21 and the second optical guide layer 25. The thickness D19 of the core semiconductor region 19 is not less than 0.5 µm. This structure allows the confinement of light into the core semiconductor region 19 without leakage of light into the support base 13, and therefore enables reduction in threshold current.