VCSEL with protrusion having inclined side walls formed in p-side semiconductor layer

A vertical cavity surface emitting laser element, comprising:

• a first light reflecting film;
• a nitride semiconductor layered body including
• an n-side semiconductor layer disposed on or above the first light reflecting film,
• an active layer disposed on or above the n-side semiconductor layer, and
• a p-side semiconductor layer disposed on or above the active layer, the p-side semiconductor layer including
• a protrusion and
• a surface around the protrusion;
• a p-electrode in contact with an upper surface of the protrusion, and extending to the surface around the protrusion, the p-electrode being light-transmissive;
• a second light reflecting film disposed on the p-electrode;
• an insulating film spaced apart from the upper surface of the protrusion in the plan view and covering at least a portion of the surface around the protrusion of the p-side semiconductor layer, wherein
• a height of the protrusion as measured from the surface around the protrusion is smaller than a thickness of the p-electrode,
• a p-type impurity concentration of a layer constituting an upper surface of the protrusion is higher than a p-type impurity concentration of the surface around the protrusion,
• a planar area of an upper surface of the p-electrode is larger than a planar area of the upper surface of the protrusion, and an outer edge of the upper surface of the p-electrode is located inward of an outer edge of an upper surface of the p-side semiconductor layer in a plan view,
• the insulating film is spaced apart from the second light reflecting film in the plan view, and
• the insulating film covers at least a part of the upper surface of the p-electrode.