Abstract: According to an aspect of the present invention, a nitride semiconductor laser device includes a nitride semiconductor active layer, and a stripe-shaped waveguide for guiding light generated in the active layer. At least one pair of light-absorbing films are provided in at least local regions on the opposite sides of the stripe-shaped waveguide, to reach a distance within 0.3 ?m from the waveguide. According to another aspect of the present invention, a gan-based semiconductor laser device includes first conductivity type semiconductor layers, a semiconductor active layer and second conductivity type semiconductor layers stacked sequentially. The laser device further includes a ridge stripe provided to cause a refractive index difference for confinement of light in a lateral direction crossing a longitudinal direction of a cavity, and a current-introducing window portion provided on the ridge stripe.

Abstract: In a read/write device for writing and reading a storage medium by way of a heat assisted magnetic recording/reproduction scheme, the read/write device including an elevated slider provided with a semiconductor laser, provided is a heat dissipation mechanism for dissipating heat generated in the elevated slider to an outside of a housing of the read/write device. Further, the storage medium has a second heatsink layer formed of an Al film having a thickness of 50 ?m, a backing layer, a heat barrier layer, a first heatsink layer, a magnetic recording layer, and a protection film on a glass substrate. With this arrangement, in a read/write device which performs a heat assisted magnetic recording and reproduction by a semiconductor laser provided on the elevated slider, the occurrence of malfunction due to temperature rises in the storage medium is prevented.

Abstract: A semiconductor laser device includes a substrate and an n-GaN layer composed of a nitride semiconductor formed on the substrate. The substrate includes a trench having as a slope a plane inclined 62 degrees from the main plane of the substrate, or a plane inclined within 3 degrees in an arbitrary direction from the inclined plane. The n-GaN layer is formed on the slope. On the n-GaN layer are formed a lower clad layer, an active layer, and an upper clad layer, each composed of a nitride semiconductor. The active layer has a plane orientation substantially matching the plane orientation of the main plane.

Abstract: In a GaN-based laser device (100) having a GaN-based semiconductor stacked-layered structure including a light emitting layer (106), the semiconductor stacked-layered structure includes a ridge stripe structure (111) causing a stripe-shaped waveguide, and has side surfaces (117, 118) opposite to each other to sandwich the stripe-shaped waveguide in its width direction therebetween. At least part of at least one of the side surfaces (117, 118) is processed to prevent the stripe-shaped waveguide from functioning as a Fabry-Perot resonator in the width direction.

Abstract: According to an aspect of the present invention, a nitride semiconductor laser device includes a nitride semiconductor active layer (106), and a stripe-shaped waveguide for guiding light generated in the active layer. At least one pair of light-absorbing films (112) are provided in at least local regions on the opposite sides of the stripe-shaped waveguide, to reach a distance within 0.3 &mgr;m from the waveguide. According to another aspect of the present invention, a GaN-based semiconductor laser device includes first conductivity type semiconductor layers (103-105), a semiconductor active layer (106) and second conductivity type semiconductor layers (107-110) stacked sequentially. The laser device further includes a ridge stripe (111) provided to cause a refractive index difference for confinement of light in a lateral direction crossing a longitudinal direction of a cavity, and a current-introducing window portion (114) provided on the ridge stripe.

Abstract: A nitride semiconductor light emitting device includes at least a substrate, an active layer formed of a nitride semiconductor containing mainly In and Ga, a p-electrode and an n-electrode. At least one of the p-electrode and n-electrode is electrically separated into at least two regions.

Abstract: A semiconductor laser device includes an active layer and a layer greater in bandgap energy than the active layer and having a stacked-layer structure mainly of gallium-nitride-based semiconductor for lasing. This device includes a gallium-nitride-based semiconductor layer substantially equal in bandgap to the active layer and containing at least one element selected from the group consisting of As, P and Sb for saturable absorption at a location apart from the active layer and inside the layer greater in bandgap energy than the active layer.

Abstract: A semiconductor light-emitting device of the present invention includes: a substrate; a light-emitting layer provided above the substrate; and a saturable absorbing layer provided above the substrate, the saturable absorbing layer having characteristics in which saturation of light absorption occurs. The semiconductor light-emitting device has self-pulsation characteristics due to the saturable absorbing layer, and the semiconductor light-emitting device is characterized in that the saturable absorbing layer is doped with carbon.

Abstract: A semiconductor laser device includes a substrate and an n-GaN layer composed of a nitride semiconductor formed on the substrate. The substrate includes a trench having as a slope a plane inclined 62 degrees from the main plane of the substrate, or a plane inclined within 3 degrees in an arbitrary direction from the inclined plane. The n-GaN layer is formed on the slope. On the n-GaN layer are formed a lower clad layer, an active layer, and an upper clad layer, each composed of a nitride semiconductor. The active layer has a plane orientation substantially matching the plane orientation of the main plane.

Abstract: A semiconductor laser device includes an active layer and a layer greater in bandgap energy than the active layer and having a stacked-layer structure mainly of gallium-nitride-based semiconductor for lasing. This device includes a gallium-nitride-based semiconductor layer substantially equal in bandgap to the active layer and containing at least one element selected from the group consisting of As, P and Sb for saturable absorption at a location apart from the active layer and inside the layer greater in bandgap energy than the active layer.

Abstract: A semiconductor light-emitting device of the present invention includes: a substrate; a light-emitting layer provided above the substrate; and a saturable absorbing layer provided above the substrate, the saturable absorbing layer having characteristics in which saturation of light absorption occurs. The semiconductor light-emitting device has self-pulsation characteristics due to the saturable absorbing layer, and the semiconductor light-emitting device is characterized in that the saturable absorbing layer is doped with carbon.