Method of manufacturing vertical-cavity surface-emitting laser element

A method of manufacturing a vertical-cavity surface-emitting laser element, comprising:

• providing a nitride semiconductor layer including a first reflective layer, an n-side semiconductor layer, an active layer, and a p-side semiconductor layer in this order;
• covering at least a first portion of a surface of the p-side semiconductor layer with a mask member while a second portion of the surface of the p-side semiconductor layer is not covered with the mask member;
• forming an oxide film on the second portion of the surface of the p-side semiconductor layer and the mask member;
• heat-treating the nitride semiconductor layer and the oxide film;
• removing the oxide film and the mask member after the heat-treating of the nitride semiconductor layer and the oxide film;
• forming an electrode extending over the first portion and the second portion of the surface of the p-side semiconductor layer;
• and
• forming a second reflective layer over the surface of the p-side semiconductor layer including the electrode.