In one embodiment, a semiconductor laser includes a semiconductor laminated body formed in a ring shape and first and second electrodes. The semiconductor laminated body includes an active layer, first and second cladding layers formed on both sides of the active layer, first and second contact layers formed on the first and second cladding layers, and first and second modified layers. The first and second modified layers are formed by selectively modifying the inner peripheral sidewalls and the outer peripheral sidewalls of the first and second cladding layers so as to have a refractive index lower than the refractive indexes of the first and second cladding layers. The first and second contact layers are electrically connected to the first and second electrodes.