Surface photoabsorption (SPA) measurements were used to clarify the Cu–Pt ordering mechanism in Ga0.5In0.5P layers grown by organometallic vapor phase epitaxy. The Cu–Pt ordering is strongly affected by the growth temperature and the input partial pressure of the phosphorus precursor, i.e., the V/III ratio. SPA was used to measure the concentration of [1̄10]-oriented phosphorus dimers on the surface, which are characteristics of the (2×4) reconstruction, as a function of the growth temperature and V/III ratio. The degree of order decreases markedly with increasing growth temperature above 620 °C at a constant V/III ratio of 40 [tertiarybutylphosphine (TBP) partial pressure of 50 Pa]. This corresponds directly to a decrease of the P-dimer concentration on the surface. Below 620 °C, the degree of order decreases as the growth temperature decreases, even though the concentration of P dimers increases. This is most likely due to the slow migration of adatoms on the surface during growth. The degree of order is found to decrease monotonically with decreasing V/III ratio in the range from 160 to 8 at 670 °C. This corresponds directly to the decrease of the P-dimer concentration on the surface. The direct correlation of the [1̄10]-oriented phosphorus dimer concentration and the degree of order with changes in both temperature (≥620 °C) and V/III ratio suggests that the (2×4) surface reconstruction is necessary to form the Cu–Pt structure, in agreement with published theoretical studies. The physical structure of the surface of these Ga0.5In0.5P layers was also characterized, using atomic force microscopy. For growth at 670 °C and a V/III ratio of 160, the structure of the layers growth on exactly (001) oriented GaAs substrates consists of islands surrounded mainly by bilayer (approximately 6 Å) steps. As the V/III ratio is reduced, the step height transforms to one monolayer. Exclusively monolayer steps are formed at a V/III ratio of 8. This is interpreted in terms of the stabilization of the bilayers by formation of the (2×2) reconstruction on the (111)B step face at high V/III ratios.