Single-mode and single-beam surface emission (675-680 nm) has been achieved from visible red GaInP/AlGaInP laser diodes by applying the surface mode emission technique. The laser diodes emit a single beam via the surface with a beam divergence of 0.16 degrees and show single-mode emission both in ac as well as in dc operation with a minimum spectral linewidth of 0.07 nm. The highest sidemode suppression achieved at present in ac operation is 19 dB. (C) 1997 American Institute of Physics.