A modified empirical potential (Stillinger-Weber) was used to calculate the energies of 3 observed atomic configurations of edge threading dislocations. The results showed that a 5-/7-atom configuration was the most stable, and that a 4-atom configuration had the highest energy; in agreement with experimental observations.

Multiple Atomic Configurations of the a Edge Threading Dislocation in GaN. J.Chen, P.Ruterana, G.Nouet: Materials Science and Engineering B, 2001, 82[1-3], 117-9