We have fabricated a front‐surface‐emitting laser diode (FSELD) using a technique which relies on a double ion implant of oxygen and beryllium. The laser had a low operating voltage at the lasing threshold, a low series resistance, and a relatively small threshold current of 6 mA for a 25‐&mgr;m‐diam device. The lasing wavelength was 971 nm and the spectral width above threshold was 5 A˚. Since the light comes from the front surface of the wafer, the fabrication technique described here for realizing a FSELD can be used for the fabrication of vertical‐cavity visible surface‐emitting lasers.