The spectral electroluminescence characteristics of broad‐area (Al)GaAs/In0.23Ga0.77As/(Al)GaAs single quantum well separate confinement heterostructure lasers grown on (111)B GaAs have been studied under forward biased current injection. A room‐temperature threshold current density of 750 A/cm2is measured for a 1000 &mgr;m laser. The subthreshold electroluminescence spectrum blue shifts with increasing current up to the point of lasing threshold. Our measurements reveal that lasing is achieved while there is a strong residual or ‘‘unscreened’’ electric field across the quantum well. Based on these observations we outline how piezoelectric quantum wells can be used to monolithically integrate a quantum well laser with a blue‐shifting electroabsorption modulator. ©1996 American Institute of Physics.