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The formation and diffusion of point defects have a detrimental impact on the functionality of devices in which a high quality AlN/GaN heterointerface is required. The present paper demonstrated the heights of the migration energy barriers of native point defects throughout the AlN/GaN heterointerface, as well as the corresponding profiles of energy bands calculated by means of density functional theory. Both neutral and charged nitrogen, gallium, and aluminium vacancies were studied, as well as their complexes with a substitutional III-group element. Three diffusion mechanisms, that is, the vacancy mediated, direct interstitial, and indirect ones, in bulk AlN and GaN crystals, as well at the AlN/GaN heterointerface, were taken into account. We showed that metal vacancies migrated across the AlN/GaN interface, overcoming a lower potential barrier than that of the nitrogen vacancy. Additionally, we demonstrated the effect of the inversion of the electric field in the presence of charged point defects V G a 3 − and V A l 3 − at the AlN/GaN heterointerface, not reported so far. Our findings contributed to the issues of structure design, quality control, and improvement of the interfacial abruptness of the AlN/GaN heterostructures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Migration energy barriers E b of point defects are calculated in GaN and InN crystals. • An approach to compute E b across the interface of two material is shown. • Diffusion of defects across the strained and relaxed InN/GaN interfaces is studied. • All vacancies are more mobile in the InN part of the strained InN/GaN heterostructure. • The lowest migration energy barrier E b near the InN/GaN interface exhibits VIn. Diffusion of native point defects is examined in the interface region of the InN/GaN heterostructure grown in hexagonal c direction. Heights of migration energy barriers of single vacancies and their complexes with substitutional group-III element are calculated in bulk GaN and InN crystals for two diffusion mechanisms, as well as across the InN/GaN heterointerface. An impact of the in-plane strain, the influence of built-in electric field, as well as the presence of electric dipole on vacancy motion is analysed. The obtained results show that metal vacancies V Ga and V In can migrate across the InN/GaN interface overcoming a potential energy barrier lower than that of V N . Moreover, the smallest energy barrier is related to the in-plane migration of V In what can favor spatial segregation of In atoms near the InN/GaN interface. This phenomenon can significantly contribute to the thermal degradation process of InGaN/GaN QWs, often observed experimentally both during the operation of nitride devices, as well as at the stage of their growth. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]