LIGHT EMITTING ELEMENT AND METHOD FOR MANUFACTURING SAME

A light-emitting element includes at least a GaN substrate 11; a first light reflecting layer 41 formed on the GaN substrate 11 and functioning as a selective growth mask layer 44; a first compound semiconductor layer 21, an active layer 23, and a second compound semiconductor layer 22 that are formed on the first light reflecting layer; and a second electrode 32 and a second light reflecting layer 42 that are formed on the second compound semiconductor layer 22. An off angle of the plane orientation of the surface of the GaN substrate 11 is 0.4 degrees or less, the area of the first light reflecting layer 41 is 0.8S 0 or less, where So represents the area of the GaN substrate 11, and as a bottom layer 41A of the first light reflecting layer, a thermal expansion relaxation film 44 is formed on the GaN substrate 11.