This paper examines the optical properties of self-assembled InAs/InP quantum dots grown by metalorganic vapour phase epitaxy (MOVPE). In a non-equilibrium regime of relatively low temperature (<= 450 degrees C) and higher growth rates (>= 1.5 monolayers/s), a rich variation in the peak emission wavelength, QD sizes, density and modality of the size distribution can be accomplished by changing the growth parameters. For example, the low-temperature peak emission wavelength of the ensemble can be tuned anywhere between 1.4 and 1.9 mu m. Similarly, broadband emission with 250 meV bandwidth can be obtained from samples with bimodal dot distributions. The temperature dependent photoluminescence spectra show interesting dynamics associated with the thermally activated carrier transfer between dots of different ground state energies. (c) 2006 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.