Far fields in perpendicular direction to the junction are investigated in double heterostructure (DH) and multiple quantum well (MQW) midwave-infrared InAsSb/InPAsSb/InAs lasers(&lgr;=3.2–3.6 &mgr;m).Strong broadening of the far fields in the DH lasers was observed with increases in temperature and/or current. On the contrary, MQW lasers with otherwise identical structure exhibit very stable far fields as narrow as 23° for all the operating conditions investigated. Our experiment and theoretical modeling suggest that these different behaviors of far fields in DH and MQW lasers are attributed to the refractive index fluctuation in the InAsSb laser active region. ©1997 American Institute of Physics.