A current confinement element that can be used in constructing light-emitting devices. The current confinement element includes a top layer and an aperture-defining layer. The top layer includes a top semiconducting material of a first conductivity type that is transparent to light. The aperture-defining layer includes an aperture region and a confinement region. The aperture region includes an aperture semiconducting material of the first conductivity type that is transparent to light. The confinement region surrounds the aperture region and includes a material that has been doped to provide a high resistance to the flow of current. The aperture-defining layer is constructed by implanting or diffusing elements into one or more of the mirror layers prior to depositing the remaining mirror layers on top of the aperture-defining layer.