Pillar confined backside emitting VCSEL

1. A method of forming a backside emitting Vertical Cavity Surface Emitting Laser (VCSEL) device comprising:

forming a first mirror device on a substrate;

forming an active layer directly on the first mirror device;

forming a second mirror device directly on the active layer and having a thickness of 3-5 μm;

forming a ledge only in the second mirror device by directional Inductive Coupled Plasma-Reactive Ion Etcher (ICP-RIE) forming a pillar having a depth between 50% and 75% of the thickness of the second mirror device, the pillar having a diameter between 5-50 um, wherein the second mirror device is directly attached to the active layer across an entire width of each pillar;

applying a first metal contact over a top section of the pillar; and

applying a second metal contact on the substrate, wherein an opening is formed in the second metal contact, the opening aligned with the pillar.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein applying a second metal contact on the substrate further comprises turning a wafer upon which the backside emitting VCSEL device is formed.

3. The method of claim 1 , comprising flip-chip mounting a device to the backside emitting VCSEL device.

4. The method of claim 1 , comprising: applying a solder on the first metal contact; and attaching a metal contact of a device to the solder to flip-chip mount the device to the backside emitting VCSEL device.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein forming the first mirror device comprises forming a first Distributed Braggs Reflector on the substrate.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein forming the second mirror device comprises forming a second Distributed Braggs Reflector on the active layer.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein forming the active layer comprises forming a quantum well.