A TEM study of defect structure of GaN films grown by chloride vapor-phase epitaxy (HVPE) on GaN/Al2O3 substrates was performed. The substrates were fabricated by metal-organic chemical vapor deposition overgrowth of templates with buried column pattern. The results of TEM study showed that the character of the defect structure of HVPE-grown films was determined by the configuration of the column pattern in the substrate. By choosing the proper pattern, the reduction in the density of threading dislocations in the films by two orders of magnitude (in respect to the substrate material), down to the value of 10(7) cm(-2), was achieved. (C) 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.