The characteristics of W metallization for use as self‐aligned ohmic contacts and selective area etching and regrowth masks on InP‐based laser structures are reported. rf‐sputtered W films under either compressive or tensile stress were examined. Mesas for epitaxial regrowth were obtained by CF4/O2dry etching of the previously deposited W film, followed either by HBr/H2O2/H2O wet chemical etching or CH4/H2/Ar electron cyclotron resonance plasma etching of ∼4 &mgr;m of InP. The W film preserved its inert metallurgical nature while heated under PH3/H2ambient at 700 °C for 20 min, simulating the standard regrowth conditions. The W contacts onn‐InP (n=5×1018cm−3) substrates yielded stable, low contact resistivity (0.2 &OHgr; cm) after rapid thermal processing at 600–700 °C.