A non-planarized vertical cavity surface emitting laser, VCSEL, comprising: a blocking layer over an active region, the blocking layer having a planar bottom surface and a planar top etched surface with a first thickness between the planar bottom surface and the planar top etched surface, wherein the blocking layer is a first material having an implant; and a conductive channel core in the blocking layer, the conductive channel core having a planar bottom surface that is continuous with the planar bottom surface of the blocking layer, the conductive channel core having a side etched surface extending from the planar top etched surface of the blocking layer to a planar top surface of the conductive channel core such that the conductive channel core has a second thickness that is larger than the first thickness of the blocking layer, wherein the conductive channel core is the first material devoid of the implant, wherein the blocking layer laterally bounds a bottom region of the conductive channel core that extends from the planar top etched surface of the blocking layer to the planar bottom surface of the blocking layer and the conductive channel core, the blocking region and the conductive channel core being an isolation region; characterized by a non-planarized semiconductor region having a plurality of non-planarized semiconductor layers, each non-planarized semiconductor layer having a lower step over the blocking layer and an upper step over the conductive channel core in a heterojunction conductive channel configuration, wherein the non-planarized semiconductor region laterally bounds over the isolation region. a blocking layer over an active region, the blocking layer having a planar bottom surface and a planar top etched surface with a first thickness between the planar bottom surface and the planar top etched surface, wherein the blocking layer is a first material having an implant; and a conductive channel core in the blocking layer, the conductive channel core having a planar bottom surface that is continuous with the planar bottom surface of the blocking layer, the conductive channel core having a side etched surface extending from the planar top etched surface of the blocking layer to a planar top surface of the conductive channel core such that the conductive channel core has a second thickness that is larger than the first thickness of the blocking layer, wherein the conductive channel core is the first material devoid of the implant, wherein the blocking layer laterally bounds a bottom region of the conductive channel core that extends from the planar top etched surface of the blocking layer to the planar bottom surface of the blocking layer and the conductive channel core, the blocking region and the conductive channel core being an isolation region; characterized by a non-planarized semiconductor region having a plurality of non-planarized semiconductor layers, each non-planarized semiconductor layer having a lower step over the blocking layer and an upper step over the conductive channel core in a heterojunction conductive channel configuration, wherein the non-planarized semiconductor region laterally bounds over the isolation region.