The equilibrium shapes and energies of coherent strained InP islands grown
on GaP have been investigated with a hybrid approach that has been previous
ly applied to InAs islands on GaAs. This combines calculations of the surfa
ce energies by density-functional theory and the bulk deformation energies
by continuum elasticity theory. The calculated equilibrium shapes for diffe
rent chemical environments exhibit the {101}, {111}, {(1) over bar (1) over
bar (1) over bar} facets and a (001) top surface. They compare quite well
with recent atomic-force microscopy data. Thus in the InP/GaInP system a co
nsiderable equilibration of the individual islands with respect to their sh
apes can be achieved. Rie discuss the implications of our results for the O
stwald ripening of the coherent InP islands. [S0163-1829(99)15147-6].