SEMICONDUCTOR LASER ELEMENT

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a semiconductor laser element which oscillates to generate a laser beam having a wavelength in the visible light band with a less power consumption. SOLUTION: An active layer 53 is formed using a compound semiconductor containing phosphorus (P) such as (Ga0.5In0.5)0.5P or (Al0.5Ga0.5)0.5In0.5P. A current blocking layer 7 is formed using a compound semiconductor containing phosphorus (P) such as (Al0.7Ga0.3)0.5In0.5P and has a refractive index less than that of the active layer 53. Owing to the refractive index difference between the current blocking layer 7 and the active layer 53, light is effectively confined in the active layer 53 to lower the current threshold and increase the slope efficiency. The band gap difference between the active layer 53 and the current blocking layer 7 may be increased to restrain the current leakage from a laminate structure 5. COPYRIGHT: (C)2006,JPO&NCIPI