An improved grating-outcoupled surface-emitting semiconductor laser architecture is provided. A second-order grating is placed between two distributed Bragg reflector gratings. The period of the second order grating is positively or negatively detuned from the distributed Bragg reflector selected optical wavelength at which the laser operates. Detuning of the second-order grating towards shorter or longer wavelengths allows kink-free, linear LI curves light output versus forward current) for grating-outcoupled surface-emitting lasers. Due to the detuning of the outcoupler grating, the outcoupled radiation emits two beams that deviate slightly from the normal axis. A design point may then be chosen where the power outcoupled by symmetric and antisymmetric modes cross and where the outcoupled power is independent of the phase variation.