Semiconductor laser device and method of fabricating the same

A semiconductor laser device comprising:

• a first nitride based semiconductor layer including a light emitting layer and containing at least one of indium, gallium, aluminum, boron and thallium;
• a ridge portion formed in region having a predetermined width on said first nitride based semiconductor layer, having an upper surface having a first width and a side surface, and containing at least one of indium gallium, aluminum, boron and thallium;
• a current blocking layer formed on said first nitride based semiconductor layer and on a region from the side surface of said ridge portion to the upper surface thereof by a transverse growth technique, and having an opening having a second width smaller than said first width on the upper surface of said ridge portion;
• and
• a second nitride based semiconductor layer formed on the upper surface of said ridge portion and containing at least one of indium, gallium, aluminum, boron and thallium, wherein
• an end portion of said current blocking layer is in contact with a part of said second nitride based semiconductor layer formed on the upper surface of said ridge portion, wherein
• said second nitride based semiconductor layer is formed so as to cover a regio above said opening and a region on said current blocking layer.

A method of fabricating a semiconductor laser device, comprising the steps of:

• forming a first nitride based semiconductor layer including a light emitting layer and containing at least one of indium, gallium, aluminum, boron and thallium;
• forming a ridge portion having an upper surface having a first width and a side surface, and containing at least one of indium, gallium, aluminum, boron and thallium in a region having a predetermined width on said first nitride based semiconductor layer;
• forming on a region from the side surface of said ridge portion to the upper surface thereof a current blocking layer by a transverse growth technique having an opening having a second width smaller than said first width on the upper surface of said ridge portion;
• and
• forming a second nitride based semiconductor layer containing at least one of indium, gallium, aluminum, boron and thallium on the upper surface of said ridge portion in said opening,
• forming said first nitride based semiconductor layer comprises the step of forming an n-type cladding layer, said light emitting layer, and a p-type cladding layer in this order, and
• forming said ridge portion comprises the step of etching said p-type cladding layer, except in a region having said first width of said p-type cladding layer, wherein
• an end portion of said current blocking layer is in contact with a part of said second nitride based semiconductor layer formed on the upper surface of said ridge portion.

A method of fabricating a semiconductor laser device, comprising the steps of:

• forming a first nitride based semiconductor layer including a light emitting layer and containing at least one of indium, gallium, aluminum, boron and thallium;
• forming a ridge portion having an upper surface having a first width and a side surface, and containing at least one of indium, gallium, aluminum, boron and thallium in a region having a predetermined width on said first nitride based semiconductor layer;
• forming on a region from the side surface of said ridge portion to the upper surface thereof a current blocking layer by a transverse growth technique having an opening having a second width smaller than said first width on the upper surface of said ridge portion;
• and
• forming a second nitride based semiconductor layer containing at least one of indium, gallium, aluminum, boron and thallium on the upper surface of said ridge portion in said opening, wherein
• an end portion of said current blocking layer is in contact with a part of said second nitride based semiconductor layer formed on the upper surface of said ridge portion, wherein
• said current blocking layer is composed of a nitride based semiconductor containing at least one of indium, gallium, aluminum, boron and thallium, and
• the step of forming said current blocking layer comprises the steps of
• forming a striped insulating film on the upper surface of said ridge portion, and
• forming said current blocking layer extending to a region, excluding the region having said second width, on the upper surface of said ridge portion from a region on said first nitride based semiconductor layer on both sides of said ridge portion by using a tranverse growth technique.

A method of fabricating a semiconductor laser device, comprising the steps of:

• forming a first nitride based semiconductor layer including a light emitting layer and containing at least one of indium, gallium, aluminum, boron and thallium;
• forming a ridge portion having an upper surface having a first width and a side surface, and containing at least one of indium, gallium, aluminum, boron and thallium in a region having a predetermined width on said first nitride based semiconductor layer;
• forming on a region from the side surface of said ridge portion to the upper surface thereof a current blocking layer by a transverse growth technique having an opening having a second width smaller than said first width on the upper surface of said ridge portion;
• and
• forming a second nitride based semiconductor layer containing at least one of indium, gallium, aluminum, boron and thallium on the upper surface of said ridge portion in said opening, wherein
• an end portion of said current blocking layer is in contact with a part of said second nitride based semiconductor layer formed on the upper surface of said ridge portion, wherein
• the step of forming said second nitride based semiconductor layer comprises the step of forming said second nitride based semiconductor layer for covering a region above said opening and a region on said current blocking layer .