Spatially ordered growth of InAs quantum dots (QD) was demonstrated via metalorganic vapour phase epitaxy on step-bunched vicinal GaAs substrates. Regular terraces of step-bunched surfaces were achieved by growing on GaAs (100) substrates off-oriented 2degrees, 4degrees and 6degrees towards the <110> and <111> directions, thus serving as in situ templates for the growth of the QD layer. Multilayer stacks of strain-aligned QDs were successfully grown to improve the size homogeneity and therefore optoelectronic properties. Furthermore, the possibility of fabricating laterally ordered quantum wires (QWR) in the same manner was shown. (C) 2002 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.