Laser device

A single mode high power laser device 100 (Figure 1) may comprise a gain section bounded by a rear reflector (102 Figure 1) and a front output reflector (104 Figure 1)). The output reflector may have a relatively low reflectivity compared to the rear reflector and a p-contact overlying the gain section, the p-contact (106 Figure 1) split into two or more discrete contact portions so that a different current density can be supplied to front and rear portions of the gain section during burn-in testing and/or operation of the device. A vestigial bridge connector (112 Figure 1) may span a split (114 Figure 1) between the p-contacts 106, 110 (Figure 1). The vestigial connectors 112 b-c of devices 100b and 100c is provided for the purposes of a bar test before cleaving into individual devices.