To provide a semiconductor light emitting element which is less in such a point defect that is caused by the lattice distortion between an active layer and a substrate and which uses a II-VI compound semiconductor with a long service life and high reliability.

A laser structure is formed by successively forming an n-type ZnMgSSe clad layer 3, an n-type ZnSSe light guide layer 4, a Zn1-xCdxOyS1-y active layer 5, a p-type ZnSSe light guide layer 6, a p-type ZnMgSSe clad layer 7, a p-type ZnSe contact layer 8, a p-type ZnSe/ZnTe multiplex quantum well layer 9, and a p-type ZnTe contact layer 10 on an n-type GaAs substrate 1 after an n-type ZnSe buffer layer 2 is formed on the substrate 1. Of the layers, the lattice constant of at least the active layer 5 is made nearly equal to that of the substrate 1.