Abstract: Disclosed is a surface emitting visible light emitting diode, which has: a first conductivity-type substrate; and a first conductivity-type buffer layer, a first conductivity-type cladding layer, an active layer, a second conductivity-type cladding layer, a second conductivity-type current spreading layer and a second conductivity-type cap layer which are in turn grown on the substrate; wherein the second conductivity-type cap layer has a ring shaped electrode formed thereon.

Abstract: An n-type GaAs layer as a buffer layer, an n-type (Al.sub.0.7 Ga.sub.0.3).sub.0.5 In.sub.0.5 P layer, an active layer, a p-type (Al.sub.0.7 Ga.sub.0.3).sub.0.5 In.sub.0.5 P layer, a thin layer of Al.sub.x Ga.sub.1-x As layer (x.gtoreq.0.9), an Al.sub.0.7 Ga.sub.0.3 As layer as a current spreading layer and a high doped p-type GaAs cap layer are sequentially grown on an n-type GaAs layer of a substrate. As the active layer, an (Al.sub.x Ga.sub.1-x).sub.0.5 In.sub.0.5 P based bulk or multi-quantum well is employed. As the current spreading layer, an Al.sub.x Ga.sub.1-x As (x.gtoreq.0.7) is employed. The current spreading layer is a p-type III-IV compound semiconductor having wider band gap than a band gap of a material used for forming the active layer, and being established a lattice matching with the lower p-type cladding layer. After mesa etching up to the cladding layer, growth of selective oxide is performed at a part of the AlGaAs layer. BY this, a block layer (selective oxide of AlGaAs) is formed.