InGaAs/GaAs/AlGaAs strained layer quantum well lasers with a small vertical divergence angle and low light power density are designed; and ridge waveguide parameters resulting in fundamental transverse mode operation are calculated. The InGaAs/GaAs/AlGaAs strained layer quantum well lasers were grown by molecular beam epitaxy. Ridge waveguide InGaAs/GaAs/AlGaAs strained layer quantum well lasers operating in the fundamental transverse mode up to 140 mW at a wavelength of 980 nm were fabricated. The lasers exhibit a differential quantum efficiency of 0.8W/A, a vertical divergence angle of 28° and a parallel divergence angle of 6.8°.