METHOD OF MANUFACTURING SURFACE EMITTING SEMICONDUCTOR LASER ELEMENT

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a method of manufacturing a surface emitting semiconductor laser element having a tunnel junction layer with a C-added p-type semiconductor layer on a GaInNAs containing active layer and attaining favorable optical characteristic and element characteristics and high element reliability. SOLUTION: The surface emitting semiconductor laser element is obtained by forming a first DBR (Distributed Bragg Reflector) 43 on a substrate 39, forming the GaInNAs containing active layer 47 on the first DBR, forming a first semiconductor spacer layer on the active layer, forming the tunnel junction layer 55 with the C added p-type semiconductor layer 51 and an n-type semiconductor layer 53 laminated on the first semiconductor spacer layer, forming a second semiconductor spacer layer 57 on the tunnel junction layer and forming a second DBR 23 on the second semiconductor spacer layer. Before formation of the tunnel junction layer, the active layer 47 is heat-treated at a temperature higher than 600°C and lower than 750°C to form the p-type semiconductor layer 51 and then the p-type semiconductor layer is heat-treated at a temperature higher than 500°C and lower than 600°C. COPYRIGHT: (C)2010,JPO&INPIT