AbstractSignificant progress has been made in the past year in the use of high energy (MeV) ion irradiation to tune the bandgap and therefore emission wavelengths of single and multiple quantum well structures. These shifts are attributable to compositional mixing across the well and barrier layer interfaces, a process that is driven by the vacancy flux, released during the anneal stage, from radiation defects. We present data from a series of measurements in both GaAs- and InP-based QW structures to demonstrate the importance of the implantation parameters chosen (ion species, energy, flux, fluence and implant temperature). The dramatic difference in the response of these two systems with regard to the implant depth is believed to be associated with the very different diffusivities of the Gp III site vacancies. Prospects for implementing the irradiation approach as a spatially selective, planar process in integrated optoelectronic circuitry look very attractive and are illustrated for both passive and active components by reference to recent results from tuned wavelength lasers.