Method of fabricating at least one radiation emitter comprising the steps of depositing an etch stop layer on a top side of a substrate; depositing a layer stack on the etch stop layer, said layer stack comprising a first contact layer, a first reflector, an active region, a second reflector, and a second contact layer; locally removing the layer stack and the etch stop layer, and thereby forming at least one mesa, said at least one mesa comprising an unremoved section of the etch stop layer and a layered pillar which forms a vertical cavity laser structure based on the unremoved layer stack inside the at least one mesa; depositing a protection material on the top side of the substrate and thereby embedding the entire mesa in the protection material wherein the backside of the substrate remains unprotected; removing the substrate by applying at least one etching chemical that is capable of etching the substrate but incapable or less capable of etching the etch stop layer and the protection material; and removing the etch stop layer and thereby exposing the first contact layer of the at least one layered pillar; wherein the method further comprises the steps of mounting a carrier on top of the protection material; providing a second substrate 10); mounting the base of the at least one layered pillar on at least one electrical contact pad that is already located on the second substrate; characterized in that said step of locally removing the layer stack and the etch stop layer further includes locally removing substrate material from the top side of the substrate such that the at least one mesa also comprises an unremoved surface section of the substrate; and said step of depositing the protection material on the top side of the substrate also includes embedding the unremoved surface section of the substrate in the protection material; wherein said step of mounting the base on the electrical contact pad is carried out before removing the protection material; wherein the base is mounted on the electrical contact pad after aligning the base relative to the electrical contact pad by mechanically adjusting the positions of the carrier and the second substrate relative to each other; and wherein the protection material is transparent for visible light; and wherein the carrier is transparent for visible light. depositing an etch stop layer on a top side of a substrate; depositing a layer stack on the etch stop layer, said layer stack comprising a first contact layer, a first reflector, an active region, a second reflector, and a second contact layer; locally removing the layer stack and the etch stop layer, and thereby forming at least one mesa, said at least one mesa comprising an unremoved section of the etch stop layer and a layered pillar which forms a vertical cavity laser structure based on the unremoved layer stack inside the at least one mesa; depositing a protection material on the top side of the substrate and thereby embedding the entire mesa in the protection material wherein the backside of the substrate remains unprotected; removing the substrate by applying at least one etching chemical that is capable of etching the substrate but incapable or less capable of etching the etch stop layer and the protection material; and removing the etch stop layer and thereby exposing the first contact layer of the at least one layered pillar; wherein the method further comprises the steps of mounting a carrier on top of the protection material; providing a second substrate 10); mounting the base of the at least one layered pillar on at least one electrical contact pad that is already located on the second substrate; characterized in that said step of locally removing the layer stack and the etch stop layer further includes locally removing substrate material from the top side of the substrate such that the at least one mesa also comprises an unremoved surface section of the substrate; and said step of depositing the protection material on the top side of the substrate also includes embedding the unremoved surface section of the substrate in the protection material; wherein said step of mounting the base on the electrical contact pad is carried out before removing the protection material; wherein the base is mounted on the electrical contact pad after aligning the base relative to the electrical contact pad by mechanically adjusting the positions of the carrier and the second substrate relative to each other; and wherein the protection material is transparent for visible light; and wherein the carrier is transparent for visible light.