From quantum-well wires to nanowires as studied by cathodoluminescence imaging and spectroscopy

Cathodoluminescence (CL) imaging and spectroscopy are used to study one-dimensional structures from three different decades. Quantum-well wires were fabricated in the 1980s and CL images are presented here, where the individual wires of a 450 nm grating are resolved. V-grooved quantum wires (QWRs) were fabricated in the 1990s and the structures exhibit a number of emission peaks. CL is used to identify the spatial origin of the various peaks, including the positions of individual impurities in the QWRs. Nanowires from the 2000s show some variations along the length, which are presented here.