A semiconductor device (100A, 100B) comprising: a substrate having first and second opposing sides; an epitaxial layer having first and second opposing sides, the first side of the epitaxial layer abutting the first side of the substrate; wherein either an epitaxial contact, configured for electrical connection, is deposited onto and abuts the second side of the epitaxial layer, a contact extension is deposited onto the epitaxial contact; a submount contact, which is a substrate contact is deposited onto the second side of the substrate, a submount is positioned adjacent to the second side of the substrate, the submount is positioned onto the substrate contact with an electrically conductive material between portions of the substrate contact and the submount; or an substrate contact, configured for electrical connection, is deposited onto and abuts the second side of the substrate, a contact extension is deposited onto the substrate contact, a submount contact, which is an epitaxial contact deposited onto the second side of the epitaxial layer, a submount positioned adjacent to the second side of the epitaxial layer, the submount being positioned onto the epitaxial contact with an electrically conductive material between portions of the epitaxial contact and the submount. a substrate having first and second opposing sides; an epitaxial layer having first and second opposing sides, the first side of the epitaxial layer abutting the first side of the substrate; wherein either an epitaxial contact, configured for electrical connection, is deposited onto and abuts the second side of the epitaxial layer, a contact extension is deposited onto the epitaxial contact; a submount contact, which is a substrate contact is deposited onto the second side of the substrate, a submount is positioned adjacent to the second side of the substrate, the submount is positioned onto the substrate contact with an electrically conductive material between portions of the substrate contact and the submount; or an substrate contact, configured for electrical connection, is deposited onto and abuts the second side of the substrate, a contact extension is deposited onto the substrate contact, a submount contact, which is an epitaxial contact deposited onto the second side of the epitaxial layer, a submount positioned adjacent to the second side of the epitaxial layer, the submount being positioned onto the epitaxial contact with an electrically conductive material between portions of the epitaxial contact and the submount. wherein either an epitaxial contact, configured for electrical connection, is deposited onto and abuts the second side of the epitaxial layer, a contact extension is deposited onto the epitaxial contact; a submount contact, which is a substrate contact is deposited onto the second side of the substrate, a submount is positioned adjacent to the second side of the substrate, the submount is positioned onto the substrate contact with an electrically conductive material between portions of the substrate contact and the submount; or an substrate contact, configured for electrical connection, is deposited onto and abuts the second side of the substrate, a contact extension is deposited onto the substrate contact, a submount contact, which is an epitaxial contact deposited onto the second side of the epitaxial layer, a submount positioned adjacent to the second side of the epitaxial layer, the submount being positioned onto the epitaxial contact with an electrically conductive material between portions of the epitaxial contact and the submount.