Abstract: In a semiconductor laser device: a p-type AlzGa1-zAs cladding layer is formed above an active layer, where z?0.3; a p-type GaAs contact layer is formed on the cladding layer except for at least one near-edge portion of the cladding layer; and an electrode is formed on at least the contact layer. The upper surface of each of the at least one near-edge portion of the cladding layer is insulated, where each of the at least one near-edge portion of the cladding layer is located in a vicinity of one of opposite end facets perpendicular to the direction of laser emission.

Abstract: A laser apparatus includes a semiconductor laser element having a first active layer made of a GaN-based compound, and emitting first laser light; and a surface-emitting semiconductor element having a second active layer made of a GaN-based compound, being excited with the first laser light, and emitting second laser light. In addition, the surface-emitting semiconductor element may have a first mirror arranged on one side of the second active layer, and a second mirror may be arranged outside the surface-emitting semiconductor element so that the first and second mirrors form a resonator.

Abstract: An n-GaAs buffer layer, an n-AlGaAs lower cladding layer, an n- or i-InGaP lower optical waveguide layer, an InGaAsP quantum cell active layer, a p- or i-InGaP upper optical waveguide layer, a p-AlGaAs first upper cladding layer, a p- or i-InGaP etch-stopping layer, a p-AlGaAs second upper cladding layer, and a p-GaAs contact layer, are grown upon an n-GaAs substrate. A photoresist is coated on the wafer, and two grooves are formed by etching. Then, the photoresist on the perimeter of the device is removed and the contact layer is selectively etched. Next, the photoresist is lifted off. A SiO2 film is formed on the entire surface. After a window is formed in a portion of the SiO2 film corresponding to a ridge portion, a p-electrode is formed on a region of the SiO2 film other than the device perimeter.

Abstract: A semiconductor laser has an active region which includes at least a quantum well layer and upper and lower optical waveguide layers and is of InxGa1?xAsyP1?y (0?x?1, 0?y?1). Upper and lower AlGaAs cladding layers are formed on opposite sides of the active region. At least one of the optical waveguide layers is not smaller than 0.25 ?m in thickness, and a part of the upper cladding layer on the upper optical waveguide layer is selectively removed up to the interface of the upper cladding layer and the upper optical waveguide layer.

Abstract: In a semiconductor laser element: a lower cladding layer of a first conductive type, a lower optical waveguide layer made of In0.49Ga0.51P which is undoped or the first conductive type, an active layer made of Inx3Ga1-x3As1-y3Py3 lattice-matching with GaAs (0<x3?0.3 and 0?y3?0.5), an upper optical waveguide layer made of In0.49Ga0.51P which is undoped or a second conductive type, and a first upper cladding layer of the second conductive type are formed in this order above the substrate. The lower optical waveguide layer has a bandgap which gradually decreases with elevation within the lower optical waveguide layer, and the upper optical waveguide layer has a bandgap which gradually increases with elevation within the upper optical waveguide layer.

Abstract: In a semiconductor laser element: a lower cladding layer of a first conductive type, a lower optical waveguide layer made of In0.49Ga0.51P which is undoped or the first conductive type, an active layer made of Inx3Ga1-x3As1-y3Py3 lattice-matching with GaAs (0<x3?0.3 and 0?y3?0.5), an upper optical waveguide layer made of In0.49Ga0.51P which is undoped or a second conductive type, and a first upper cladding layer of the second conductive type are formed in this order above the substrate. The lower optical waveguide layer has a bandgap which gradually decreases with elevation within the lower optical waveguide layer, and the upper optical waveguide layer has a bandgap which gradually increases with elevation within the upper optical waveguide layer.

Abstract: An n-GaAs buffer layer, an n-Alz1Ga1?z1As cladding layer, an n- or i-In0.49Ga0.51P waveguide layer, an i-Inx3Ga1?x3As1?y3Py3 barrier layer, a compressive strain Inx1Ga1?x1As1?y1Py1 quantum well active layer, an i-Inx3Ga1?x3As1?y3Py3 upper barrier layer, and an In0.49Ga0.51P cap layer are laminated on an n-GaAs substrate. Regions near facets of the barrier layer to the cap layer are removed, and a p- or i-type In0.49Ga0.51P upper optical waveguide layer is laminated on the cap layer to fill in the removed portions. A p-GaAs etching stop layer, an n-In0.49(Alz2Ga1?z2)0.51P current confinement layer having an opening, an n-In0.49Ga0.51P second cap layer, a p-In0.49Ga0.51P second upper optical waveguide layer 34 and a p-Alz1Ga1?z1As upper cladding layer are laminated thereon, and a p-GaAs contact layer is formed inwardly except near the facets on the laminated surface, and an insulation film is formed on the regions near the facets, and a p-side electrode is provided as an uppermost layer.

Abstract: The liquid ejection head ejects a solution, in which charged particles are dispersed, toward a counter electrode. The head has a head substrate, a solution guide member formed on a surface of the head substrate so as to protrude and include a sharp-pointed portion having a sharply pointed tip end, with the sharp-pointed portion being which is formed by inclined surfaces and having a cross section that is reduced as a distance to the tip end is decreased, and a solution supply path having a solution outflow opening through which the solution flows out to the neighborhood of the sharp-pointed portion so as to form a solution flow around the inclined surfaces. The solution flow is formed around the tip end of the sharp-pointed portion in a direction going across the inclined surface and a part of the solution flow is guided to the tip end and is ejected as a droplet by means of an electrostatic force.

Abstract: A laser apparatus includes a semiconductor laser element having a first active layer made of a GaN-based compound, and emitting first laser light; and a surface-emitting semiconductor element having a second active layer made of a GaN-based compound, being excited with the first laser light, and emitting second laser light. In addition, the surface-emitting semiconductor element may have a first mirror arranged on one side of the second active layer, and a second mirror may be arranged outside the surface-emitting semiconductor element so that the first and second mirrors form a resonator.

Abstract: In a semiconductor laser element, a lower cladding layer of a first conductive type, a GaAs first optical waveguide layer of the first conductive type or an undoped type, an InGaAsP or InGaAs compressive-strain active layer, a GaAs second optical waveguide layer of a second conductive type or an undoped type, and an upper cladding portion are formed on a GaAs substrate of the first conductive type. The active layer is not formed in at least one vicinity of at least one end facet, and the space in the at least one vicinity of the at least one end facet is filled with a third optical waveguide layer of the second conductive type or an undoped type, where the bandgaps of the first, second, and third second optical waveguide layers are greater than the bandgap of the active layer.

Abstract: A pattern forming method has the steps of: forming a pattern by discharging droplets of a conductive material forming solution onto an insulating substrate; forming a conductive layer pattern on the pattern by discharging droplets of a solution which becomes a growth core; and forming a metal pattern by immersing the conductive layer pattern in a plating liquid. The pattern forming method may further have the step of forming a protective layer on a surface of the metal pattern by discharging droplets of an insulating material forming solution except at regions which are to become electrodes of the metal pattern.

Abstract: In a process for producing a substrate for use in a semiconductor element: a first GaN layer having a plurality of pits at its upper surface is formed; and then a second GaN layer is formed by growing a GaN crystal over the first GaN layer until the upper surface of the second GaN layer becomes flattened. Each of the above plurality of pits has an opening area of 0.005 to 100 &mgr;m2 and a depth of 0.1 to 10.0 &mgr;m.

Abstract: In a semiconductor laser element, a lower cladding layer of a first conductive type, a lower optical waveguide layer of the first conductive type or an undoped type, a lower GaAs layer, a compressive-strain quantum well active layer, and an upper GaAs layer are formed on a GaAs substrate of the first conductive type. The upper GaAs layer, the active layer, and the lower GaAs layer are partially removed in a vicinity of end facets of a resonator, and the space of the vicinity of end facets is filled with an upper optical waveguide layer of a second conductive type or an undoped type, an upper cladding layer of the second conductive type, and a GaAs contact layer of the second conductive type. Thus a window structure is formed in the vicinity of the end facets.

Abstract: In a semiconductor laser element having a plurality of semiconductor layers formed on a substrate, a groove-form concave portion is formed on the surface of the substrate opposite to the surface having the semiconductor layers. The concave portion is filled with metal having a higher heat conductivity higher than the substrate. The semiconductor laser element achieves improved heat dissipation characteristics and high reliability even under high-output operation.

Abstract: In a semiconductor laser device including having an index-guided structure and oscillating in a fundamental transverse mode, a lower cladding layer, a lower optical waveguide layer, a quantum well layer, an upper optical waveguide layer, and a current confinement structure are formed in this order. The thickness of the upper optical waveguide layer is smaller than the thickness of the lower optical waveguide layer. In addition, the sum of the thicknesses of the upper and lower optical waveguide layers may be 0.5 micrometers or greater. Further, the distance between the bottom of the current confinement structure and the upper surface of the quantum well layer may be smaller than 0.25 micrometers.

Abstract: A pattern forming method has the steps of: forming a pattern by discharging droplets of a conductive material forming solution onto an insulating substrate; forming a conductive layer pattern on the pattern by discharging droplets of a solution which becomes a growth core; and forming a metal pattern by immersing the conductive layer pattern in a plating liquid. The pattern forming method may further have the step of forming a protective layer on a surface of the metal pattern by discharging droplets of an insulating material forming solution except at regions which are to become electrodes of the metal pattern.

Abstract: A semiconductor laser device improves reliability during high-power oscillation. An n-type GaAs buffer layer, an n-type In0.48Ga0.52P lower cladding layer, an n-type or i-type Inx1Ga1−x1As1−y1Py1 optical waveguide layer, an i-type GaAs1−y2Py2 tensile-strain barrier layer, an Inx3Ga1−3As1−y3Py3 compressive-strain quantum-well active layer, an i-type GaAs1−y2Py2 tensile-strain barrier layer, a p-type or i-type Inx1Ga1−x1As1−y1Py1 upper optical waveguide layer, a p-type In0.48Ga0.52P first upper cladding layer, a GaAs etching stop layer, a p-type In0.48Ga0.52P second upper cladding layer, and a p-type GaAs contact layer are grown on a plane of an n-type GaAs substrate.

Abstract: In a semiconductor laser element having a plurality of semiconductor layers formed on a substrate, a groove-form concave portion is formed on the surface of the substrate opposite to the surface having the semiconductor layers. The concave portion is filled with metal having a higher heat conductivity higher than the substrate. The semiconductor laser element achieves improved heat dissipation characteristics and high reliability even under high-output operation.

Abstract: In a process for producing a substrate for use in a semiconductor element: a porous anodic alumina film having a great number of minute pores is formed on a surface of a base substrate; the surface of the base substrate is etched by using the porous anodic alumina film as a mask so as to form a great number of pits on the surface of the base substrate; the porous anodic alumina film is removed; and a GaN layer is formed on the surface of the base substrate by crystal growth.

Abstract: A semiconductor laser apparatus comprises a pumping beam source and a surface emission type of semiconductor device. The pumping beam source is constituted of a semiconductor laser device, in which a composition selected from the group consisting of InGaN and GaN is employed in an active layer. The surface emission type of semiconductor device comprises a substrate, and an active layer, which is constituted of a composition selected from the group consisting of InGaAlP and InGaP and is provided on the substrate. The surface emission type of semiconductor device is pumped by the pumping beam source to produce a laser beam. The semiconductor laser apparatus produces the laser beam having a wavelength of a red region or an ultraviolet region and undergoes oscillation in a fundamental mode with a high reliability and a high efficiency and up to a high output power.