In this work, the device design, material characterization, and performance of optimized vertical-cavity surface-emitting lasers (VCSEL's) will be presented. The basic design goal was to increase the output power of the lasers without drastically increasing the low threshold current reported in earlier devices. The material characterization was performed by measuring in-plane lasers and broad-area VCSELs made from the same material as the small VCSEL's. For 10 mu m square devices, outputs over 3 mW, device operation over 100 degrees C, 6% wall-plug efficiency, threshold voltages under 3 V, and threshold currents under 2 mA are reported.