We investigated the lasing mechanism of an InGaN/GaN/AlGaN multiquantum well (MQW) laser diode on SiC grown by low-pressure metalorganic vapor phase epitaxy. Surface emission and edge emission are compared by optical pumping on the laser chip for which electrical pumping was made. Excitation power dependence of photoluminescence (PL) and PL mapping are also taken on the same chip. From the results, we demonstrate that lasing phenomena in our laser are dominated by free carriers and that the observed various stimulated emission lines are caused by the inhomogeneity of the InGaN MQW. ©1998 American Institute of Physics.