US Patent 7550304 Method for manufacturing semiconductor laser element

A method for manufacturing a semiconductor laser element includes forming a semiconductor laminated structure, having an active layer, on a substrate; etching the semiconductor laminated structure to form a mesa; exposing the mesa to an oxygen-containing ambient forming an oxide layer on the mesa; removing a first part of the oxide layer from the mesa at a temperature lower than a critical temperature at which bonds between atoms of the oxide layer become stronger, by etching with a gas; removing the remainder of the oxide layer from the mesa at a temperature higher than the critical temperature by etching with a gas; and forming a burying layer coating the mesa.