  For two-component assemblies, an inherent structure diagram (ISD) is the
relationship between set inter-subunit energies and the types of kinetic traps
(inherent structures) one may obtain from those energies. It has recently been
shown that two-component ISDs are apportioned into regions or plateaux within
which inherent structures display uniform features (e.g., stoichometries and
morphologies). Interestingly, structures from one of the plateaux were also
found to be robust outcomes of one type of non-equilibrium growth, which
indicates the usefulness of the two-component ISD in predicting outcomes of
some types of far-from-equilibrium growth. However, little is known as to how
the ISD is apportioned into distinct plateaux. Also, while each plateau
displays classes of structures that are morphologically distinct, little is
known about the source of these distinct morphologies. This article outlines an
analytic treatment of the two-component ISD, and shows that the manner in which
any ISD is apportioned arises from a single unitless order parameter.
Additionally, the analytical framework allows for the characterization of local
properties of the trapped structures within each ISD plateau. This work may
prove to be useful in the design of novel classes of robust nonequilibrium
assemblies.
