The successful operation of a separate confinement heterostructure (SCH) AlGaInP/GaxIn1-xP (x = 0.43) strained single quantum well (SSQW) laser has been achieved for the first time. A threshold current of 18 mA at 25°C, the lowest value ever reported for AlGaInP/GaInP lasers, was obtained by a 10 x 200 μ index guided laser diode at an emission wavelength of 691 nm. © 1990, The Institution of Electrical Engineers. All rights reserved.