Provided is a multi-beam semiconductor laser designed to change a pitch
between laser beams while eliminating the risks of crosstalk and
power-down. Reflective mirrors are disposed at either end surface of the
laser oscillating region in the active layer formed along the striped
current path, a reflective mirror located at a front surface has a
reflectance sufficiently high to prevent emission of a laser beam from
the front surface, and a wavelength demultiplexer is disposed at a
location in each of the plurality of laser oscillating regions so as to
change the direction of propagation of only laser oscillating wavelength
beams for emission from the laser oscillating regions. The above
construction allows adjustment of a pitch between laser beams.