Provided is a VCSEL that includes: a first semiconductor multilayer film reflective mirror of a first conductivity type formed on a substrate; an active region formed thereon; a current confining layer of a second conductivity type formed thereon; a second semiconductor multilayer film reflective mirror of the second conductivity type formed thereon; and a third semiconductor multilayer film reflective mirror of the second conductivity type formed thereon. The reflective mirrors include a pair of a high refractive index layer and a low refractive index layer. The impurity concentration of the second reflective mirror is higher than that of the third reflective mirror. The band gap energy of the high refractive index layer in the second reflective mirror is greater than the energy of the wavelength of a resonator formed of the first reflective mirror, the active region, the current confining layer, the second reflective mirror, and the third reflective mirror.