A highly reliable 200mW AlGaAs laser diode with a fundamental transver
se mode has been developed, by optimising its structure with a 0.8 mum
thick p-cladding layer, a 1200 mum long cavity length, and a front fa
cet coating with a low reflectivity of 2%. The maximum output power wa
s 500mW, and stable fundamental transverse mode operation was obtained
up to 350mW. Stable operation under 200mW and 50-degrees-C was confir
med for more than 1200 h. Optical feedback noise was below 3 x 10(-14)
Hz-1.