Simple conical microlenses are fabricated on the end of a vapor-axial-deposition single-mode fiber to increase the coupling efficiency between the laser diode and the single-mode fiber. The lowest coupling loss, 3 dB, has been achieved by using a 1.3-microm InGaAsP buried-heterostructure laser diode and a single-mode fiber. Experimental results on coupling efficiency and the loss penalty due to lateral misalignment are also reported. This conical lens is easy to manufacture and reproduce.