The continuous-wave (cw) operation of InGaN multi-quantum-well structure laser diodes (LDs) was demonstrated at room temperature (RT) with a lifetime of 27 h. The threshold current and the voltage of the LDs were 80 mA and 5.5 V, respectively. The threshold current density was 3.6kA/cm2. Longitudinal modes with a mode separation of 0.042 nm were observed under cw operation at RT. When the temperature of the LDs was varied, large mode hopping of the emission wavelength was observed between adjacent quantum well or quantum dot subbands. The carrier lifetime and the threshold carrier density were estimated to be 10 ns and2×1020/cm3, respectively. ©1997 American Institute of Physics.