NITRIDE SEMICONDUCTOR LASER ELEMENT AND FORMATION OF ELECTRODE THEREOF

摘要

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a high insulation film on the surface of a p-side clad layer by forming an insulation film of other than Si oxide on the opposite side faces of a stripe in a stripe waveguide and on the plane of a nitride semiconductor layer continuous to the side face and then providing an electrode on the surface of a contact layer through that insulation film. SOLUTION: A first stripe protective film is formed on a p-side contact layer 13 and etched to form a waveguide region. A second insulating protective film 62 of other than Si oxide different from the material of the first protective film is then formed on the side face of the stripe waveguide and the plane of a nitride semiconductor layer exposed by etching. Since the first protective film is made of a material different from that of the second protective film 62, it exhibits selectivity to the second protective film for an etching means. Since the second protective film 62 can be formed continuously both on the surface of a p-type clad 12 and the side face of the stripe, high insulation can be sustained.