In this article, we report on growth of AlInN/GaInN multi-quantum-wells (MQWs) with high Al content (93%) by rf-plasma-assisted molecular-beam epitaxy on (0001) GaN/sapphire templates and on bulk GaN crystals. A series of samples with a barrier thickness of 3 nm and with different well thicknesses of 1.5-3 nm was grown. The wells were doped with Si at a concentration of 5 X 10(19) cm(-3). Structures grown on (0001) GaN-based substrates are crack-free, as demonstrated by Nomarski contrast and scanning electron microscopy measurements. X-ray diffraction mapping of a and c lattice parameters shows that AlInN/GaInN MQWs are fully strained and have up to 7% indium in the barriers and up to 10% In in the quantum wells. These structures exhibit intersubband absorptions at room temperature at a wavelength in the range of 2.45-1.52/mu m. The AlInN/GaInN strain-compensated MQW structures, having good quality, are very attractive for ultrahigh-bit-rate telecommunication applications at 1.55 mu m wavelengths. In addition, because of their low average refractive index, they could be used as thick cladding layers for optical waveguides. (c) 2006 American Vacuum Society.