Semiconductor laser having an optical waveguide layer including an

Abstract

A semiconductor laser comprises an optical wave guide layer including an AlGaInP active layer and AlGaInP optical confinement layers holding the active layer therebetween. A well structure of an energy band is formed and a compressive stress is applied to the activation layer by the difference between the compositions of the activation layer and the optical confinement layers. Since the compressive stress is applied to the activation layer, the oscillation threshold is lower than that of an un-strained device. Accordingly, the rise of the oscillation threshold due to the addition of Al is compensated and continuous oscillation at room temperature is attained and visible light having a wavelength of 0.67 .mu.m or lower, which has been difficult to attain in the past, is produced. The semiconductor laser having a multi-quantum well structure is manufactured by using AlGaInP or GaInP as a semiconductor material of the multi-quantum well structure and epitaxially growing by periodically changing a supply rate of only In. Through a very simple method of periodically changing the supply rate of only In, a well layer having a compressive stress applied thereto and a barrier layer having a tensile stress applied thereto are alternately grown and the activation layer having the desired strained multi-quantum well structure is produced.