The active layer (1) and the barrier layers (2) contain a group III component, a group V component and nitrogen, whereby the active layer is a quaternary material and the barrier layers are ternary materials, or, in order to match the lattice properties of the active layer to the barrier layers, the nitrogen content in the barrier layers is higher. The active layer is preferably InGaAsN, the barrier layers are InGaAsN with higher nitrogen content or GaAsN. Superlattices may exist in the barrier layers, for example, series of thin layers of In.sub.xGa.sub.1-xAs.sub.yN.sub.1-y with varying factors x and y, where, in particular, x=0 and y=1.