Method of fabricating semiconductor laser

Abstract

A method of fabricating a semiconductor laser includes successively epitaxially growing on a first conductivity type semiconductor substrate, a first conductivity type lower cladding layer, an active layer, a second conductivity type first upper cladding layer having a relatively high etching rate in an etchant, a second conductivity type etch stopping layer having a relatively low etching rate in the etchant, a second conductivity type second upper cladding layer, and a second conductivity type first contact layer; forming a stripe-shaped mask on the first contact layer; removing portions of the first contact layer and the second upper cladding layer in a first wet etching step to expose the etch stopping layer; removing portions of the second upper cladding layer in a second wet etching step to form a stripe-shaped ridge structure having a reverse mesa cross section without an intermediate construction; growing a first conductivity type current blocking layer contacting both sides of the ridge structure; and after removal of the mask, growing a second conductivity type second contact layer on the current blocking layer and on the first contact layer. The angle between the side wall of the ridge and the etch stopping layer is an acute angle so the stripe-shaped ridge structure has a perfect reverse mesa cross section and is narrowest proximate the active layer.