GaAs and InP wafers were irradiated by swift Kr+ and Xe+ with various ion fluences. The implantation was carried out at liquid nitrogen temperature (LNT), room temperature (RT) and higher temperature. Then the samples were investigated by means of the cross-section transmission electron microscopy (XTEM) as well as Rutherford backscattering (RBS) and selective chemical etching/microscopy (SCEM) techniques. GaAs and InP appeared to have a different character of defect accumulation with the ion dose. XTEM studies allowed identification of amorphous track formation in InP. Microparticles of wurtzite InP phase were found in some tracks. A new approach to describe the above mentioned effect was discussed. It is suggested that both fast heating and quenching of local excited regions along ion paths result in imperfect local recrystallization and, therefore, are responsible for track formation. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.