[en] Two series of AlGaAs/GaAs laser heterostructures have been grown by metal-organic vapour phase epitaxy, and 808-nm laser diode bars fabricated from the heterostructures have been investigated. The heterostructures differed in waveguide thickness and quantum well depth. It is shown that increasing the barrier height for charge carriers in the active region has an advantageous effect on the output parameters of the laser sources in the case of the heterostructures with a narrow symmetric waveguide: the slope of their power – current characteristics increased from 0.9 to 1.05 W A^-1. Thus, the configuration with a narrow waveguide and deep quantum well is better suited for high-power laser diode bars under hindered heat removal conditions. (lasers)