Abstract: A method of making a diode laser in which a pump current confining channel is formed on the n-side of the diode laser prior to the growth of the active region of the diode laser. The current confining channel is formed by providing two spaced regions in a substrate with the regions being highly resistive to current flow when the diode laser is forwarded biased. Preferably, the regions are formed by diffusion of an impurity into a substrate of a selected conductivity type so as to form secondary p-n junctions on both sides of an intermediate channel, with subsequent growth of other layers of the diode laser providing a primary p-n junction at the boundary of the active laser region. Forward biasing of the primary p-n junction results in reverse biasing of the secondary p-n junctions and pump current confinement to the channel.