In an embodiment an edge-emitting semiconductor laser includes a semiconductor layer sequence having a waveguide region with an active layer disposed between a first waveguide layer and a second waveguide layer and a layer system arranged outside the waveguide region configured to reduce facet defects in the waveguide region, wherein the layer system includes one or more layers with the material composition AlxInyGa1-x-yN with 0≤x≤1, 0≤y