Light emitting element array, optical device, and image forming apparatus

An optical device comprising:

• a light emitting element array including
• a plurality of semiconductor stacked structures each including
• a light emitting unit that is formed on a substrate, and
• a light amplification unit that
• extends from the light emitting unit along a substrate surface of the substrate to have a length in an extension direction which is longer than that of the light emitting unit,
• amplifies light propagating in the extension direction from the light emitting unit, and
• emits the amplified light from a light emission portion formed along the extension direction,
• the plurality of semiconductor stacked structures being arranged such that the extension directions of the respective light amplification units are substantially parallel to each other;
• and
• a condensing lens that linearly condenses the light emitted from the light emitting element array in a direction that intersects the extension direction of the light amplification units.

An image forming apparatus comprising:

• a light emitting element array including
• a plurality of semiconductor stacked structures each including
• a light emitting unit that is formed on a substrate, and
• a light amplification unit that
• extends from the light emitting unit along a substrate surface of the substrate to have a length in an extension direction which is longer than that of the light emitting unit,
• amplifies light propagating in the extension direction from the light emitting unit, and
• emits the amplified light from a light emission portion formed along the extension direction,
• the plurality of semiconductor stacked structures being arranged such that the extension directions of the respective light amplification units are substantially parallel to each other;
• an image forming unit that forms an image with an image forming material on a recording medium;
• and
• a moving unit that moves at least one of the light emitting element array and the recording medium along the extension direction of the light amplification units such that light is emitted to the image formed on the recording medium from the light emitting element array.