Nitride semiconductor vertical cavity surface emitting laser

A vertical cavity surface emitting laser (VCSEL), comprising:

• a first optical reflector;
• a base region having a vertical growth part laterally adjacent the first optical reflector and a lateral growth part comprising a nitride semiconductor material vertically over at least a portion of the first optical reflector;
• an active region having at least one nitride semiconductor quantum well vertically over at least a portion of the lateral growth part of the base region, the active region comprising a first dopant of a first electrical conductivity type;
• a contact region comprising a nitride semiconductor material laterally adjacent the active region such that current is injected transversely into the active region and a second dopant of a second electrical conductivity type opposite the first electrical conductivity type;
• and
• a second optical reflector vertically over the active region and forming with the first optical reflector a vertical optical cavity vertically overlapping at least a portion of the at least one quantum well of the active region.