VCSELs with a conventional oxide-confined structure have problems to be solved for the purpose of reducing the internal stress and thermal resistance of the device. In particular, the problems should be solved in order to achieve the high reliability of the high-speed modulation-type VCSELs. A surface emitting laser according to an embodiment of the present invention comprising a single current injection opening area, which is provided in a mesa and electrically and optically isolated, wherein the laser comprises: an active layer for emitting light resulted from current injection; a first reflector and a second reflector provided so as to sandwich the active layer between the reflectors, an n electrode and a p electrode for injecting current into the active layer, an ion-implanted nonconductive high-resistance area provided so as to surround the current injection opening area, and a half cross section in which the nonconductive oxidized layer does not appear is present among radial half cross sections extending from a substantial center of the current injection opening area to an outer periphery of the surface emitting laser, which cross sections are interrupted within a region where a laser emitting light is present.