Semiconductor light-emitting element and method for manufacturing semiconductor light-emitting element

A method for manufacturing a semiconductor light-emitting element, the method comprising:

• forming an n-type semiconductor layer made of an n-type AlGaN-based semiconductor material, an active layer made of an AlGaN-based semiconductor material, and a p-type semiconductor layer, on a base layer sequentially;
• removing the active layer and the p-type semiconductor layer partially, to expose the n-type semiconductor layer;
• forming a p-side contact electrode in contact with a top face of the p-type semiconductor layer;
• forming a dielectric protective layer made of SiO2, so as to cover the p-side contact electrode, in contact with a top face of the p-type semiconductor layer, and in contact with the individual side faces of the active layer and the p-type semiconductor layer;
• forming, on the dielectric protective layer, a mask in a region that entirely overlaps the p-side contact electrode;
• removing, by wet etching, the dielectric protective layer in a region not overlapped with the mask, to expose the individual side faces of the active layer and the p-type semiconductor layer;
• and
• forming a dielectric cover layer made of Al2O3, so as to cover the dielectric protective layer, and in contact with the individual side faces of the active layer and the p-type semiconductor layer.