The invention relates to high power semiconductor diode lasers of the type
commonly used in opto-electronics, mostly as so-called pump lasers for
fiber amplifiers in the field of optical communication, e.g. for an
erbium-doped fiber amplifier (EDFA) or a Raman amplifier. Such a laser,
having a single cavity and working in single transverse mode, is improved
by placing a multilayer large optical superlattice structure (LOSL) into
at least one of the provided cladding layers. This LOSL provides for a
significantly improved shape of the exit beam allowing an efficient high
power coupling into the fiber of an opto-electronic network.