Abstract: A semiconductor laser, for example a Vertical Cavity Surface Emitting Laser (VCSEL), includes one or more photoactive layers to improve the fundamental mode operation of lasing. The photoactive layer(s) provides on-axis current channeling, resulting from the selective drop in resistance around the center of the photoactive layer(s) due to photo-excitation, and counteracts “hole burning” (i.e., carrier depletion) of the center axis region of the VCSEL cylinder. The photoactive layer(s) act as a variable resistivity screen(s) whose radial aperture is controlled by the light itself. The absorption of a small traction of the light intensity suffices for significant on-axis current peaking with minimum efficiency loss and optical mode distortion. Thus, the VCSEL has optically pumped photoactive layers that induce significant, self-regulated, on-axis current channeling and fundamental mode stability at high operation current, improving lasing operation.