Generation of <3 ps full width at half maximum (FWHM) 1.3μm pulses by compressing the chirped output of a gainswitched distributed feedback laser diode (DFB-LD) with a fibre dispersive delay line is reported. Diode laser requirements for minimum pulse width and maximum pulse energy, as well as suppression of wings on the optical pulse, are discussed. © 1990, The Institution of Electrical Engineers. All rights reserved.