Semiconductor laser

A semiconductor laser comprising

• a semiconductor layer sequence which has an n-conducting n-region, a p-conducting p-region and an intermediate active zone for generating laser radiation,
• a p-contact layer which is transmissive to the laser radiation and which is made of a transparent conductive oxide and which is designed for impressing current directly into the p-region, and
• an electrically conductive and metallic p-contact structure which is located directly on the p-contact layer,
• wherein
• the p-contact layer is part of a cladding layer for guiding the laser radiation so that the laser radiation intentionally enters the p-contact layer during operation of the semiconductor laser,
• the semiconductor layer sequence has two facets which form resonator end faces for the laser radiation,
• in at least one current protection region directly on at least one of the facets a current impression into the p-region is suppressed, and
• in the direction perpendicular to the associated facet the current protection region has an extent of at least 0.5 μm and of at most 100 μm and additionally of at most 20% of a resonator length for the laser radiation,
• the p-contact layer is completely removed from the at least one current protection region and in said current protection region at least one additional layer is applied directly to the p-region, the additional layer is electrically insulating,
• in said current protection region, the p-contact structure completely covers a side face of the p-contact layer, and
• in a direction parallel to the active zone, at said current protection region the p-contact layer, the p-contact structure and the additional layer follow one another.

A semiconductor laser comprising

• a semiconductor layer sequence which has an n-conducting n-region, a p-conducting p-region and an intermediate active zone for generating laser radiation;
• a p-contact layer which is transmissive to the laser radiation and which is made of a transparent conductive oxide and which is designed for impressing current directly into the p-region, and
• an electrically conductive and metallic p-contact structure which is located directly on the p-contact layer,
• wherein
• the p-contact layer is part of a cladding layer for guiding the laser radiation so that the laser radiation intentionally enters the p-contact layer during operation of the semiconductor laser,
• the semiconductor layer sequence has two facets which form resonator end faces for the laser radiation,
• in at least one current protection region directly on at least one of the facets a current impression into the p-region is suppressed,
• in the direction perpendicular to the associated facet the current protection region has an extent of at least 0.5 μm and of at most 100 μm and additionally of at most 20% of a resonator length for the laser radiation,
• the p-contact layer is removed from the at least one current protection region and in said current protection region at least one additional layer is applied directly to the p-region, the additional layer is electrically insulating, and
• in said current protection region the additional layer is also applied on the associated facet.