We demonstrate the feasibility of a new approach based on the nano selective area growth (nano-SAG), which allows the precise spacial localization, in the nanometer scale, of InAs/InP quantum dots (QDs) grown by low-pressure metal organic vapor-phase epitaxy. By using the hydrogen silsesquioxane-negative resist, we partially pattern the substrate in only one step (e-beam lithography) with dielectric masks containing nano-openings. We demonstrate that the one-step nano-SAG technique leads to the formation of site-controlled InAs/InP QDs with good structural properties, and allows the good control of the growth rate and thus of the QD size into the nano-openings. (c) 2008 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.