Patent attributes
Provided is a surface emitting laser element array of low cost and high reliability. The surface emitting laser element array has a substrate having a semiconductor of a first conduction type; and a plurality of surface emitting laser elements each having, above the substrate, an active layer sandwiched between a first conduction type semiconductor layer area and a second conduction type semiconductor layer area and disposed between a upper reflective mirror and a lower reflective mirror, the surface emitting laser elements being separated from each other by an electric separation structure formed having such a depth as to reach the substrate. The first conduction type semiconductor layer area is arranged between the substrate and the active layer. The surface emitting laser element array further has a current blocking layer arranged between the substrate and the first conduction type semiconductor layer area; and two electrodes connected to the first conduction type semiconductor layer area and the second conduction type semiconductor layer area, respectively, and arranged on a side of the current blocking layer opposite to the substrate.