A vertical-cavity surface-emitting laser comprised of single laser elements arranged on a common substrate

A vertical-cavity surface-emitting laser device (VCSEL) comprises a plurality of VCSEL elements arranged on a common substrate (7), each VCSEL element comprising first mirror means (3) and second mirror means (5), each having a predefined reflectivity at a predetermined wavelength, for forming an optical resonator for said wavelength, and a laser active region (1) disposed between said first and second mirror means (3,5). In addition, the VCSEL device comprises a grid layer (4) having a plurality of openings (6) corresponding to the respective VCSEL elements and a contact layer (2) having a predetermined thickness, said contact layer being interposed between each of said first mirror means (3) and said grid layer (4), wherein an optical thickness of said contact layer (2) and a reflectivity and an absorption of said grid layer (4) is selected so as to provide an effective reflectivity of each of said first mirror means (3) depending on said grid layer (4) and being different for areas covered by the grid and areas corresponding to said grid openings (6).