Influence of the dipole interaction energy on clustering in InxGa1-xN alloys

The interactions of the polarization-induced dipole moments at each unit cell in InxGa1 - xN alloys have been studied using analytical electrostatic dipole energy calculations to determine their potential influence on local material composition. Clustering of In atoms along the [0001] direction and anticlustering of In in the (0001) plane are shown to be energetically favorable. Comparisons of the dipole interaction energy to the strain energy and the energy associated with the decreased entropy of the ordered configurations show that the dipole interaction energy could have a substantial influence on local composition in InxGa1 - xN alloys. (C) 2001 American Institute of Physics.