An optically pumped semiconductor laser device having a surface-emitting
vertical emission region (1) and at least one monolithically integrated
pump radiation source (2) for optically pumping the vertical emission
region (1). The semiconductor laser device is distinguished by the fact
that the pump radiation enters the vertical emission region (1) in the
form of partial bundles of rays of radiation with different radiation
directions so that the pump radiation and the fundamental mode of the
vertical emission region (1) have an overlap which is suitable for the
excitation of this fundamental mode. This device is based on the fact
that the fundamental mode of the vertical emission region (1) is
preferably excited when the spatial intensity distribution of the pump
radiation matches the profile of the fundamental mode.