Vertical cavity surface emitting lasers (VCSELs) are demonstrated with reverse-biased tunnel contact junctions allowing low-loss lateral electron current to support hole injection. A compact hybrid vertical cavity is employed consisting of a lower 6.5 periodAlxOy/GaAsdistributed Bragg reflector (DBR) formed by selective oxidation of high Al compositionAlxGa1−xAs,and an electron-beam deposited 5 periodSiO2/Siupper DBR. The cavity (active region) is defined also by selectively oxidizing a current-confining aperture. Lateral electron current drives a tunnel contact junction providing hole injection underneath the upper DBR through the oxide-defined current aperture. Thep-type crystal in the VCSEL is reduced to a minimum, thus reducing resistive loss and device voltage. ©1997 American Institute of Physics.