InAsxSb1−x/InP1−x−yAsxSbydouble heterostructures have been grown on InAs substrates by metal-organic chemical vapor deposition. The minority carrier leakage to the cladding layers was studied with photoluminescence measurements on the InAsSb/InPAsSb double heterostructures. A carrier leakage model is used to extract parameters related to the leakage current (diffusion-coefficient and length) from experimental results. Using the obtained parameters, the temperature dependence of the threshold current density of InAsSb/InPAsSb double heterostructure lasers is predicted and compared with experimental results.©1997 American Institute of Physics.