A time-of-flight, TOF, depth camera (400; 500) configured to collect image data from an image environment illuminated by illumination light, the TOF depth camera (400; 500) comprising: a heat sink having a mounting surface (404; 504); an illumination module (406; 506) mounted to the mounting surface of the heat sink , the illumination module (406; 506) including a printed circuit board (410; 510), PCB, a vertical-cavity surface emitting laser, VCSEL, array device (100; 200; 412; 512) configured to generate illumination light to illuminate the image environment, the VCSEL array device (100; 200; 412; 512) being mounted to the PCB (410; 510), and a driver (418; 518) configured to deliver an operating current to the VCSEL array device (100; 200; 412; 512), the driver being mounted to the PCB (410; 510) and electrically connected to the VCSEL array device (100; 200; 412; 512) via the PCB (410; 510); and an image sensor mounted to the mounting surface (404; 504) of the heat sink (402; 502), the image sensor configured to detect at least a portion of illumination light reflected from the image environment, wherein the VCSEL array device (100; 200; 412; 512) includes a VCSEL chip (102; 202) and a submount (104; 204) including an anode and a cathode positioned on a same side of the submount (104; 204), wherein the VCSEL chip (102; 202) is bonded to the cathode and electrically connected to the anode via a plurality of bonding wires characterized in that the VCSEL array device (100; 200; 412; 512) further includes a stiffener layer (208; 538) positioned between the submount (104; 204) and the mounting surface (404; 504) of the heat sink (402; 502). a heat sink having a mounting surface (404; 504); an illumination module (406; 506) mounted to the mounting surface of the heat sink , the illumination module (406; 506) including a printed circuit board (410; 510), PCB, a vertical-cavity surface emitting laser, VCSEL, array device (100; 200; 412; 512) configured to generate illumination light to illuminate the image environment, the VCSEL array device (100; 200; 412; 512) being mounted to the PCB (410; 510), and a driver (418; 518) configured to deliver an operating current to the VCSEL array device (100; 200; 412; 512), the driver being mounted to the PCB (410; 510) and electrically connected to the VCSEL array device (100; 200; 412; 512) via the PCB (410; 510); and a printed circuit board (410; 510), PCB, a vertical-cavity surface emitting laser, VCSEL, array device (100; 200; 412; 512) configured to generate illumination light to illuminate the image environment, the VCSEL array device (100; 200; 412; 512) being mounted to the PCB (410; 510), and a driver (418; 518) configured to deliver an operating current to the VCSEL array device (100; 200; 412; 512), the driver being mounted to the PCB (410; 510) and electrically connected to the VCSEL array device (100; 200; 412; 512) via the PCB (410; 510); and an image sensor mounted to the mounting surface (404; 504) of the heat sink (402; 502), the image sensor configured to detect at least a portion of illumination light reflected from the image environment, wherein the VCSEL array device (100; 200; 412; 512) includes a VCSEL chip (102; 202) and a submount (104; 204) including an anode and a cathode positioned on a same side of the submount (104; 204), wherein the VCSEL chip (102; 202) is bonded to the cathode and electrically connected to the anode via a plurality of bonding wires characterized in that the VCSEL array device (100; 200; 412; 512) further includes a stiffener layer (208; 538) positioned between the submount (104; 204) and the mounting surface (404; 504) of the heat sink (402; 502). <EOS>