We report a record high continuous wave (CW) output power of 250 mW for the 780 nm band AlGaAs laser. The selectively buried ridge (SBR) structure was used and each layer of the laser was designed to have the lowest defect density by using the deep level transient spectroscopy (DLTS) analyses. The laser operated at a peak wavelength of 783 nm with a threshold current of 38 mA. The stable fundamental transverse mode was observed at 100 mW, 70 degrees C for more than 3000 h. The far-field aspect ratio, a ratio of far-field vertical angle over far-field parallel angle to the junction plane, was measured to be 1. 8, which is small enough for the high density CD-R system. (c) 2005 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.