The output performance of a 980-nm broad-area vertical-cavity surface-emitting laser （VCSEL） is improved by optimizing the p-electrode diameter in this study. Based on a three-dimensional finite-element method, the current density distribution within the active region of the VCSEL is optimized through the appropriate adjustment of the p-electrode diameter, and uniform current-density distribution is achieved. Then, the effects of this optimization are studied experimentally. The L-I-V characteristics under different temperatures of the VCSELs with different p-electrode diameters are investigated, and better temperature stability is demonstrated in the VCSEL with an optimized p-electrode diameter. The far-field measurements show that with an injected current of 2 A, the far-field divergence angle of the VCSEL with an optimized p-electrode diameter is 9°, which is much lower than the far-field angle of the VCSEL without this optimization. Also the VCSEL with an optimized p-electrode diameter shows a better near-field distribution.
