We have fabricated ZnSe/ZnS quantum wires emitting at the shortest wav
elength ever reported for a one-dimensional system. We show that inhom
ogeneous strain relaxation and Stark effect due to the internal piezoe
lectric field influence the ground level energy of the wires and overc
ome the quantum size effect. (C) 1997 American Institute of Physics. [
S0003-6951(97)04852-3].