Group-iii nitride semiconductor laser device, and method of fabricating group-iii nitride semiconductor laser device

Abstract

A group-III nitride semiconductor laser device comprises a laser structure including a support base and a semiconductor region, and an electrode provided on the semiconductor region of the laser structure. The support base comprises a hexagonal group-III nitride semiconductor and has a semipolar primary surface, and the semiconductor region is provided on the semipolar primary surface of the support base. The semiconductor region includes a first cladding layer of a first conductivity type gallium nitride-based semiconductor, a second cladding layer of a second conductivity type gallium nitride-based semiconductor, and an active layer. The first cladding layer, the second cladding layer, and the active layer are arranged along a normal axis to the semipolar primary surface. The active layer comprises a gallium nitride-based semiconductor layer. The c-axis of the hexagonal group-III nitride semiconductor of the support base tilts at a finite angle ALPHA with respect to a normal axis toward an a-axis of the hexagonal group-III nitride semiconductor. The laser structure includes first and second fractured faces intersecting with an a-n plane defined by the normal axis and the a-axis of the hexagonal group-III nitride semiconductor. The laser cavity of the group-III nitride semiconductor laser device includes the first and second fractured faces. The laser structure includes first and second surfaces and the first surface is opposite to the second surface, and each of the first and second fractured faces extends from an edge of the first surface to an edge of the second surface.