Laser diode with improved electrical conduction properties

A laser diode (10) comprising:

• at least one active layer (12) disposed within a resonator (14) and operatively connected to an outcoupling element (16), at least one contact layer (18) for coupling charge carriers into the active layer (12), wherein the resonator (14) comprises at least a first section (20) and a second section (22), wherein the maximum width (W1) of the active layer (12) in the first section (20) differs from the maximum width (W2) of the active layer (12) in the second section (22), and a projection of the contact layer (18) along a first axis (Z1) extending perpendicular to the active layer (12), overlaps with the first section (20) as well as with the second section (22), wherein, the second section (22) comprises a plurality of separate resistor elements (24) having a specific electrical resistivity greater than the specific electrical resistivity of the regions (26) between adjacent resistor elements (24), wherein a width (W3) of the resistor elements (24) along a longitudinal axis (X1) of the active layer (12) is less than 20 μm, and a projection of the resistor elements (24) on the active layer (12) along the first axis (Z1) overlaps with at least 10% of the active layer (12),