A semiconductor laser with a semiconductor body (1), which has a periodic arrangement of cutouts (2) or in which a period arrangement of semiconductor regions is formed, so that the radiation generated by the semiconductor laser is not capable of propagating within this periodic arrangement, the resonator (3) of the semiconductor laser being omitted from the periodic arrangement in the lateral direction. Furthermore, an optically pumped semiconductor device is disclosed with a vertical emitter (13) comprising a quantum well structure (7), which is pumped by means of a semiconductor laser of this type or into which the pump radiation of a pump radiation source is coupled by means of a corresponding waveguide (22).