A first contact surface of a semiconductor laser chip can be formed to a target surface roughness selected to have a maximum peak to valley height that is substantially smaller than a barrier layer thickness. A barrier layer that includes a non-metallic, electrically-conducting compound and that has the barrier layer thickness can be applied to the first contact surface, and the semiconductor laser chip can be soldered to a carrier mounting along the first contact surface using a solder composition by heating the soldering composition to less than a threshold temperature at which dissolution of the barrier layer into the soldering composition occurs. Related systems, methods, articles of manufacture, and the like are also described.