Abstract: A semiconductor laser including: an optical resonator that has a first compound semiconductor layer containing an n-type impurity, a second compound semiconductor layer containing a p-type impurity, and a light-emitting layer provided between the first compound semiconductor layer and the second compound semiconductor layer; and a pulse injection means that injects excitation energy for a sub-nanosecond duration into the optical resonator, wherein the optical resonator has a multi-section structure separated into at least one gain region and at least one absorption region, and the semiconductor laser generates optical pulses having a pulse width shorter than 2.5 times the photon lifetime in the optical resonator.

Abstract: A semiconductor laser including: an optical resonator that has a first compound semiconductor layer containing an n-type impurity, a second compound semiconductor layer containing a p-type impurity, and a light-emitting layer provided between the first compound semiconductor layer and the second compound semiconductor layer; and a pulse injection means that injects excitation energy for a sub-nanosecond duration into the optical resonator, wherein the light-emitting layer has an at least five-period multiple quantum well structure, and the semiconductor laser generates optical pulses having a pulse width shorter than 2.5 times the photon lifetime in the optical resonator.