Effects of surface states and surface passivation on photoluminescence (PL) properties of GaAs quantum wires (QWRs) are investigated. QWR samples were grown on (001) and (111)B substrates by the selective molecular beam epitaxy (MBE) method. For surface passivation, an ultrathin (about 1 nm) Si interface control layer (Si ICL) was grown by MBE as an interlayer. In both of the selectively grown QWRs on (001) and (111)B substrates, the PL intensity reduced exponentially with reduction of their wire-to-surface distance, being coexistent with a more gradual reduction due to carrier supply reduction. The exponential reduction was explained in terms of interaction between surface states and quantum confined states leading to tunneling assisted nonradiative recombination through surface states. Surface passivation by the Si-ICL method almost completely recovered PL intensities not only for QWRs on the (001) substrate, but also for QWRs on the (111)B substrate. (c) 2005 American Vacuum Society.