The distributed feedback semiconductor laser includes: a lower clad layer formed on a substrate; a ridge including an active layer and an upper clad layer sequentially formed on the lower clad layer; and a grating formed at a sidewall or both sidewalls of the ridge including the active layer in a direction perpendicular to the active layer and a resonance axis so as to enable a single longitudinal mode oscillation. The grating has parallel grooves that are equally spaced at a period equal to an integer multiple of half of an oscillation wavelength λ (nλ/2, n=1, 2, 3 . . . ).