Abstract: Described herein are examples of improved semiconductor lasers having improved facet reliability for operation at high power and high current without significant change in device performance. The semiconductor laser may include a first semiconductor layer, an active layer, a second semiconductor layer sequentially adjacent to each other and arranged on a substrate, and a contact layer. In one example, the improved semiconductor laser may have a conductive contact less than the length of the semiconductor laser cavity and/or a dielectric layer arranged on at least one of the end portions of the contact layer.