Vertical cavity surface emitting laser (vcsel), laser sensor and method of producing a vcsel

A method of producing a vertical cavity surface emitting laser having an optical resonator and a photodiode, the method comprising:

• growing a semiconductor multilayer stack, the semiconductor multilayer stack comprising a first distributed Bragg reflector, an active region for laser emission, and a second distributed Bragg reflector, the active region arranged between the first distributed Bragg reflector and the second distributed Bragg reflector, wherein the first distributed Bragg reflector, the active region, and the second distributed Bragg reflector form the optical resonator, wherein a reflectivity of the second distributed Bragg reflector is higher than a reflectivity of the first distributed Bragg reflector,
• arranging an absorbing region of the photodiode in the second distributed Bragg reflector,
• arranging a tunnel junction between the photodiode and the active region,
• electrically contacting the optical resonator for pumping the active region, and
• electrically contacting the photodiode.