Published online by Cambridge University Press: 10 February 2011
We have studied native point defects in AlN and InN using density-functional calculations employing both the local-density and generalized gradient approximations for the exchange-correlation functional. For both materials we find that the nitrogen vacancy acts as a compensating center in p-type material. For AIN in the zinc-blende structure, the aluminum interstitial has an equally low formation energy as the nitrogen vacancy. For n-type material the aluminum vacancy is the dominant compensating center in AlN. For n-type InN, all defect formation energies are high.