Semiconductor laser device with facet passivation film

Abstract

A semiconductor laser element is disclosed which includes a film of an amorphous material deposited on at least an optical output facet of the laser element and contains silicon and hydrogen as the indispensable components. The thickness of the amorphous film is preferably selected in the vicinity of (.lambda./4).multidot.m where .lambda. represents wavelength of laser light in the amorphous film and m represents an odd integer. A film of a transparent insulation material can be deposited over the amorphous film thereby to constitute a composite film. With the disclosed structure of the semiconductor laser element, increasement in a threshold current of the laser element can be suppressed to a minimum, while a maximum optical output power can be increased.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.