Gallium nitride-based compound semiconductor laser and method of manufacturing the same

A gallium nitride-based compound semiconductor laser, comprising;

• a support substrate;
• a mesa stripe formed on said support substrate via a buffer layer, said mesa stripe having a double-heterostructure obtained by sandwiching an active layer between first and second cladding layers of different conductivity types;
• first and second current blocking layers buried in two sides of said mesa stripe;
• and
• first and second electrodes connected to said first and second cladding layers,
• wherein each of said buffer layer, said active layer, said first and second cladding layers, and said first and second current blocking layers consists essentially of a material represented by the following composition formnula:
• In.sub.x Ga.sub.y Al.sub.2 B.sub.l-x-y-z N
• where 0.ltoreq.x, y, z, x+y+z.ltoreq.1;
• said first and second electrodes are respectively connected to said first and second cladding layers via first and second contact layers consisting essentially of a material represented by said composition formula;
• said first contact layer is arranged on or above said buffer layer, said mesa stripe and said first and second current blocking layers constitute an integral mesa arranged on or above said first contact layer, and said first electrode is arranged on said first contact layer beside said mesa;
• and
• a width of said first current blocking layer located between said first electrode and said mesa stripe is smaller than a width of said second current blocking layer, opposing said first current blocking layer via said mesa stripe.