The facet temperature of AlGaAs single‐quantum‐well laser diodes were examined via Raman microprobe spectroscopy. The facets were fabricated either by cleaving in air or by chemically assisted ion‐beam etching. The ridge width was 5 &mgr;m. Large sample‐dependent variations in the heating induced by the argon probe beam are observed. These variations correlate with the appearance of disorder‐induced modes in the Raman spectrum and the bias current‐induced heating of the laser facet.