A method of forming a flip chip backside Vertical Cavity Surface Emitting Laser (VCSEL) package comprising: forming a VCSEL pillar array; applying a dielectric layer to the VCSEL pillar array, the dielectric layer filling trenches in between pillars forming the VCSEL pillar array and covering the pillars; planarizing the VCSEL pillar array to remove the dielectric layer covering the pillars exposing a metal layer on a top surface of the pillars; applying a metal coating on the metal layer on a top surface of the pillars, the metal layer defining a contact pattern of the VCSEL pillar array; and applying solder on the metal coating to flip chip mount the VCSEL pillar array to a substrate package.