Abstract: A semiconductor laser element includes a substrate and a semiconductor stack. The semiconductor stack includes an N-side semiconductor layer, an active layer, a P-side semiconductor layer, and a P-type contact layer. The semiconductor stack includes two end faces. Laser light resonates between the two end faces. The semiconductor stack includes: a ridge portion; and a bottom portion surrounding the ridge portion in a top view of the semiconductor stack. The ridge portion protrudes upward from the bottom portion, is spaced apart from the two end faces, and includes at least a portion of the P-type contact layer. A current injection window is provided only on the ridge portion out of a top face of the semiconductor stack, the current injection window being a region into which a current is injected. A distance from a top face of the active layer to the bottom portion is constant.

Abstract: A semiconductor laser device includes an N-type cladding layer, an active layer, and a P-type cladding layer. The active layer includes a well layer, a P-side first barrier layer above the well layer, and a P-side second barrier layer above the P-side first barrier layer. The P-side second barrier layer has an AI composition ratio higher than an AI composition ratio of the P-side first barrier layer. The P-side second barrier layer has band gap energy greater than band gap energy of the P-side first barrier layer. The semiconductor laser device has an end face window structure in which band gap energy of a portion of the well layer in a vicinity of an end face that emits the laser light is greater than band gap energy of a central portion of the well layer in a resonator length direction.