Grating coupled surface emitting lasers with rectangular as well as blazed grating outcouplers were investigated. Horizontal cavity InGaAs/AlGaAs laser oscillators, with two rectangular first order surface gratings as feedback elements, were integrated with single detuned rectangular or blazed second order gratings as surface output couplers, using electron beam lithography and chemically assisted ion beam etching. Superior differential quantum and surface emission efficiencies of 56% and 84%, respectively, were measured for lasers with optimized blazed output couplers. ©1995 American Institute of Physics.