In the framework of light-atom interaction, laser diodes need specific optical performances: high power and narrow linewidth (around 852nm or 894nm for Cesium atoms, 780nm or 795nm for Rubidium atoms) and a single-mode operation in both transverse and longitudinal direction. This thesis presents the design and realization of laser diodes, emitting at 780 nm, meeting these optical requirements. The peculiarity of the laser diodes developed during my PhD is the aluminum free design of the active layers, resulting in a better reliability of the component. In its first part, this thesis describes the fundamentals of optical pumping and atom cooling and determines the specifications for the laser diodes. Then, it exposes the theoretical concepts behind the laser diode operation. The characterization measurements of the actual laser diodes have shown a single transverse mode operation with an output power higher than 100mW for Fabry-Pérot laser diodes. The realization of DFB laser diodes (with a Bragg grating layer integrated in the laser optical cavity) has demonstrated single frequency behavior up to 25mW of output power with a side mode suppression ratio of 45dB and a linewidth of 550kHz. Finally a first theoretical and experimental study of laser diodes emitting at 852nm is presented. This allows to estimate the performances of this component in thermal-beam clock based on Cesium atoms.
