Fabrication of nanometer width GaAs/AlGaAs/InP quantum wires

Abstract Starting from GaAs/AlGaAs and InGaAs/InP quantum well structures, we have produced quantum wires with lateral dimensions down to 30nm, using direct electron beam writing and several dry etching techniques. Investigating the photoluminescence efficiency of wire structures as a function of the linewidth we find a steep decrease with decreasing linewidth in the case of the GaAs/AlGaAs system, whereas for InGaAs/InP the decrease is much smaller. This luminescence decay can be interpreted as a result of the surface recombination at the sidewalls, which gains growing influence with decreasing linewidth.