Quantized conductance in quantum wires with gate-controlled width and electron density

We describe quantum wires and point contacts fabricated in GaAs/AlxGa1−xAs heterostructures that are free of the disorder introduced by modulation doping and in which the electron density and the confining potential are separately adjustable by lithographically defined gates. We observe conductance plateaus quantized near even multiples of e2/h in 2 μm wires and up to 15 conductance steps in 5 μm wires at temperatures below 1 K. Near the conductance threshold the quantum point contact and the 2 μm wire both show additional structure below 2e2/h.