A semiconductor light emitting device includes an active layer, an electrode formed above the active layer, a current spreading layer formed between the active layer and the electrode, having n-type conductivity, having a larger bandgap energy than the active layer, and spreading electrons injected from the electrode in the plane of the active layer, and a surface processed layer formed on the current spreading layer, having a larger bandgap energy than the active layer, and having an uneven surface region with a large number of concave-convex structures. The electrode is not formed on the uneven surface region. The conduction band edge energy from the Fermi level of the surface processed layer is higher than that of the current spreading layer.