Thick relaxed InGaAs layers grown epitaxially on GaAs are potentially useful substrates for growing high indium percentage strained layers. It is important that these relaxed layers are defect free and have a good surface morphology for the subsequent growth of device structures.3μm relaxed layers of InxGa1-xAs were grown on semi - insulating GaAs substrates by Molecular Beam Epitaxy (MBE), where the indium composition ranged from x=0.1 to 1.0. The interface, bulk and surface of the layers have been examined in planar view and cross-section by Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM). The surface morphologies have been characterised by Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), and the bulk lattice perfection of the layers assessed using Double Crystal X-ray Diffraction (DCXRD).The surface morphology has been found to correlate with the growth conditions, with the type of defects grown-in to the layer (e.g. stacking faults, microtwins), and with the nature and density of dislocations in the interface.