We have investigated the temperature characteristics of 850 nm, intra-cavity contacted, shallow implant-apertured, vertical-cavity surface-emitting lasers. The devices were fabricated with 7 mum diameter apertures and exhibited multimode behavior. Device lasing is observed up to 80 degreesC. The slope efficiency of the devices decrease from 0.29 to 0.20 W/ A over the temperature range of 20-80 degreesC. From threshold temperature dependence data, the characteristic temperature is 78 degreesC. The fundamental optical mode of the devices shifts to longer wavelengths 0.11 nm/degreesC. The thermal resistance of the devices, determined experimentally, is 1.95 degreesC/mW. (C) 2002 Published by Elsevier Science Ltd.