A vertical cavity surface emitting laser (VCSEL) includes a substrate having an aperture that allows light generated in an active layer of the VCSEL to exit the VCSEL after propagation through a first set of semiconductor layers. The VCSEL further includes an opaque bottom layer that blocks light generated in the active layer and propagated through a second set of semiconductor layers. The opaque bottom layer can be attached to a heat sink for heat dissipation thereby allowing the VCSEL to be operated at high power levels. The active layer is sandwiched between the first set of semiconductor layers and the second set of semiconductor layers. Unlike a traditional VCSEL where only certain wavelengths of light can propagate through a solid substrate that is “transparent” to these particular wavelengths, the aperture provided in the substrate of a VCSEL in accordance with the disclosure allows for propagation of many different wavelengths.