A high-quality SiC single crystal and a method for producing such a SiC single crystal is provided. In the SiC single crystal, the threading dislocation density including screw dislocation, edge dislocation and micropipe defect is reduced. The method for producing the SiC single crystal according to a solution technique involves bringing an SiC seed crystal into contact with an SiC solution having a temperature gradient in which a temperature of the SiC solution is lower towards the surface of the SiC seed crystal. Growing an SiC single crystal includes setting the temperature gradient of the surface region of the SiC solution to 10 C/cm or below, bringing the (1-100) face of the SiC seed crystal into contact with the SiC solution, and growing an SiC single crystal on the (1-100) face of the seed crystal at a ratio (single crystal growth rate/temperature gradient) of less than 2010.sup.4 cm.sup.2/h.Math. C.

A p-type SiC single crystal having lower resistivity than the prior art is provided. This is achieved by a method for producing a SiC single crystal in which a SiC seed crystal substrate is contacted with a SiC solution having a temperature gradient such that the temperature decreases from the interior toward the surface, to grow a SiC single crystal, the method comprising: using as the SiC solution a SiC solution containing Si, Cr and Al, wherein the Al content is 3 at % or greater based on the total of Si, Cr and Al; and contacting a (0001) face of the SiC seed crystal substrate with the SiC solution to grow a SiC single crystal from the (0001) face.

A p-type SiC single crystal having lower resistivity than the prior art is provided. This is achieved by a method for producing a SiC single crystal in which a SiC seed crystal substrate is contacted with a SiC solution having a temperature gradient such that the temperature decreases from the interior toward the surface, to grow a SiC single crystal, the method comprising: using as the SiC solution a SiC solution containing Si, Cr and Al, wherein the Al content is 3 at % or greater based on the total of Si, Cr and Al; and contacting a (0001) face of the SiC seed crystal substrate with the SiC solution to grow a SiC single crystal from the (0001) face.

There is provided a semiconductor substrate including: a sapphire substrate; an intermediate layer formed of gallium nitride with random crystal directions and provided on the sapphire substrate; and at least one or more semiconductor layers each of which is formed of a gallium nitride single crystal and that are provided on the intermediate layer.

There is provided a new and improved method for producing a gallium nitride stacked body that can produce a single-crystal layer with few crystal defects, the method including: an intermediate layer formation step of forming an intermediate layer (12) of gallium nitride with random crystal orientations on a substrate (11); and a single-crystal layer formation step of forming a single-crystal layer (13) of gallium nitride on the intermediate layer (12) by a liquid phase epitaxial growth method. Also the intermediate layer (12) may be formed by a liquid phase epitaxial growth method.

There is provided a new and improved method for producing a gallium nitride stacked body that can produce a single-crystal layer with few crystal defects, the method including: an intermediate layer formation step of forming an intermediate layer (12) of gallium nitride with random crystal orientations on a substrate (11); and a single-crystal layer formation step of forming a single-crystal layer (13) of gallium nitride on the intermediate layer (12) by a liquid phase epitaxial growth method. Also the intermediate layer (12) may be formed by a liquid phase epitaxial growth method.

We provide methods and apparatus for preparing crystalline-clad and crystalline core optical fibers with minimal or no breakage by minimizing the influence of thermal stress during a liquid phase epitaxy (LPE) process as well as the fiber with precisely controlled number of modes propagated in the crystalline cladding and crystalline core fiber via precisely controlling the diameter of crystalline fiber core with under-saturated LPE flux. The resulting crystalline cladding and crystalline core optical fibers are also reported.

We provide methods and apparatus for preparing crystalline-clad and crystalline core optical fibers with minimal or no breakage by minimizing the influence of thermal stress during a liquid phase epitaxy (LPE) process as well as the fiber with precisely controlled number of modes propagated in the crystalline cladding and crystalline core fiber via precisely controlling the diameter of crystalline fiber core with under-saturated LPE flux. The resulting crystalline cladding and crystalline core optical fibers are also reported.

A method for producing a SiC single crystal with few dislocations and defects and a large diameter enlargement ratio is provided. A method for producing a SiC single crystal by solution process, wherein a bottom face of a seed crystal is (0001) or (000-1) face and has circular shape with at least a partially removed section and a circular arc-shaped section on an outer periphery, the number of the removed sections is one or more, shapes of the removed sections are bow-shaped with a minor arc or semi-circumference removed along a chord connecting two points on the circular arc, a central angle formed by a center of the circular shape and the two points is 40 or greater, and a total of the central angles of the removed sections is no greater than 180, the method comprising forming a meniscus and growing the single crystal from the bottom face.

A method for producing a SiC single crystal with few dislocations and defects and a large diameter enlargement ratio is provided. A method for producing a SiC single crystal by solution process, wherein a bottom face of a seed crystal is (0001) or (000-1) face and has circular shape with at least a partially removed section and a circular arc-shaped section on an outer periphery, the number of the removed sections is one or more, shapes of the removed sections are bow-shaped with a minor arc or semi-circumference removed along a chord connecting two points on the circular arc, a central angle formed by a center of the circular shape and the two points is 40 or greater, and a total of the central angles of the removed sections is no greater than 180, the method comprising forming a meniscus and growing the single crystal from the bottom face.