A vertical cavity surface emitting laser capable of efficiently injecting carries into an active region directly under a photonic crystal mirror is provided. The vertical cavity surface emitting laser includes a first reflective mirror 102 constituting a lower mirror, a second reflective mirror 112 constituting an upper mirror, and an active layer 106 provided between the reflective mirrors on a substrate 100. The second reflective mirror 112 includes a periodic refractive index structure periodically arranged in a plane parallel to a surface of the substrate, which structure is composed of a first medium 1100 having conductivity and a second medium 1102 having a refractive index lower than that of the first medium 1100. A layer structure by a third medium 1104 having a refractive index lower than that of the first medium 1100 is embedded in the first medium 1100 on the lower side of the periodic refractive index structure.