A photonic crystal laser capable of producing a radially-polarized halo-shaped laser beam having a smaller width than conventional beams includes: an active layer; a ring-shaped photonic crystal including a plate-shaped base body on one side of the active layer, the base body having a number of modified refractive index areas of the same shape, the modified refractive index areas having a refractive index different from the base body and periodically arranged in the circumferential direction of a ring, and each of the modified refractive index areas being asymmetrically shaped with respect to an axis extending through the center of the modified refractive index area in the radial direction of the ring; a first and second electrode facing each other across the active layer and the ring-shaped photonic crystal; and a window provided in the second electrode capable of allowing passage of a laser light generated from the ring-shaped photonic crystal.