A vertical cavity surface emitting laser includes a first mirror region forming
a first distributed Bragg reflector, a first cladding region, an active region,
a second cladding region including a high electrical resistance implanted region
positioned to define a current path, a second mirror region, and a current spreading
region. A first electrical contact is positioned on the current spreading region
and a second electrical contact is positioned to conduct electrical current in
circuit with the first electrical contact through the current path. The current
spreading region and the second mirror region cooperate to produce substantially
uniform current distribution in the current path. A third mirror region is positioned
on the current spreading region. The second and third mirror regions cooperate
to provide a complete distributed Bragg reflector.
