NITRIDE-BASED SEMICONDUCTOR LASER ELEMENT AND MANUFACTURING METHOD OF NITRIDE-BASED SEMICONDUCTOR LASER ELEMENT

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide: a nitride-based semiconductor laser element configured to have a ridge portion not damaged when a wafer is cleaved; and a method of manufacturing the nitride-based semiconductor laser element. SOLUTION: The nitride-based semiconductor laser element is manufactured by cleaving and dividing a wafer 1 having a pad electrode 12 of height dmformed on the ridge portion 10 and a protection portion 11 of height dp. Further, the height dpof the protection portion 11 is larger than the height dmof the pad electrode 12, so that even when the wafer 1 is cleaved by applying a load thereto, for example, by pressing a blade against an (n)-side electrode 13 of the wafer 1, the protection portion 11 supports the wafer 1, thereby preventing the ridge portion 10 from being broken. COPYRIGHT: (C)2009,JPO&INPIT