Diffraction integrals are calculated for a distribution of CDH-LOC diode lasers to assess efficiency of matching them to fixed and variable magnification optical recording systems. High power diode lasers are characterized, in general, by far-fields having an elliptical cross-section. In addition, while the intensity profiles of these far-fields in the planes parallel and perpendicular to the plane of the semiconductor junction are often approximated as gaussians, the true far-fields may differ significantly from such a shape. The development of the constricted double heterojunction large optical cavity (CDH-LOC) diode laser at RCA Laboratories 3 has created a commercial device with applicability to optical recording in the near infrared. We have evaluated a sample of CDH-LOC's in order to determine how to tailor the optics of recording systems to utilize the output of the CDH-LOC device as advantageously as possible, i.e., high throughput efficiency and small spot diameter.