US Patent 7430228 Semiconductor laser device and method of producing the same

In an AlGaInP semiconductor laser device, at least a first conductivity type first cladding layer, an active layer and a second conductivity type second cladding layer are formed on a semiconductor substrate. The second cladding layer forms a stripe-shaped ridge on a side opposite from the substrate, and a first conductivity type current block layer is disposed on both sides of the ridge. The first conductivity type current block layer has a lattice mismatch rate of −0.20% or more but not more than 0% relative to the semiconductor substrate. The lattice mismatch rate may be uniform within the current block layer. Alternatively, the lattice mismatch rate may increase continuously or stepwise with an increasing distance from a portion of the second conductivity type second cladding layer other than the ridge.