Unlike conventional semiconductor lasers, single quantum well lasers with high reflectively coatings have dramatically reduced threshold currents as a result of the smaller volume of the (active) quantum well region. A cw threshold current of 0.95 mA was obtained for a buried graded‐index separate‐confinement heterostructure single quantum well laser with facet reflectivities of ∼70%, a cavity length of 250 &mgr;m, and an active region stripe width of 1 &mgr;m.