We have devised a novel vertical‐cavity top surface‐emitting GaAs quantum well laser structure which operates at 0.84 &mgr;m. The laser combines peripheral current injection with efficient heat removal and uses only the epitaxially grown semiconductor layers for the output mirrors. The structure is obtained by a patterned deep H+implantation and anneal cycle which maintains surface conductivity while burying a high resistance layer. Peripheral injection of current occurs from the metallized contact area into the nonimplanted nonmetallized emission window. For 10‐&mgr;m‐diam emitting windows, ∼4 mA thresholds with continuous‐wave (cw) room‐temperature output powers ≳1.5 mW are obtained. Larger diameter emitting windows have maximum cw output powers greater than 3 mW. These are the highest cw powers achieved to date in current injected vertical‐cavity surface‐emitting lasers.