  We investigate the spatial and spectral properties of broad-area
vertical-cavity surface-emitting lasers (VCSEL) with frequency-selective
feedback by a volume Bragg grating (VBG). We demonstrate wavelength locking
similar to the case of edge-emitters but the spatial mode selection is
different from the latter. On-axis spatial solitons obtained at threshold give
way to off-axis extended lasing states beyond threshold. The investigations
focus on a self-imaging external cavity. It is analyzed how deviations from the
self-imaging condition affect the pattern formation and a certain robustness of
the phenomena is demonstrated.

Pattern Formation and Solitons;Optics