A group 13 element source, a flux comprising at least one of an alkali metal and an alkaline earth metal, and an additive being liquid at an ambient temperature are placed in a crystal growing vessel. The crystal growing vessel is heated and pressurized under a nitrogen atom-containing gas atmosphere to form a melt containing the group 13 element source, the flux and the additive. Evaporation of the additive is prevented until the flux is melted. The crystal of the nitride of the group 13 element is then grown in the melt.

A method of forming an epitaxial layer on a substrate such as a sapphire wafer that does not readily absorb thermal radiation. The method includes coating a first side surface of the substrate with an energy-absorbing opaque material. The opaque material forms a thermally absorptive coating on the substrate. The coated substrate may be heated to remove contaminants from the thermally absorptive coating. The coated substrate is positioned in a vacuum deposition chamber and heated by directing radiative energy onto the thermally absorptive coating. An epitaxial layer such as GaN or SiGe is formed on a second side surface of the substrate opposite the thermally absorptive coating.

A method for producing a single crystal includes a step of placing a source material powder and a seed crystal within a crucible, and a step of growing a single crystal on the seed crystal. The crucible includes a peripheral wall part and a bottom part and a lid part that are connected to the peripheral wall part to close the openings of the peripheral wall part, the lid part having a holder that holds the seed crystal. The bottom part has a connection region connected to the peripheral wall part and a thick region that is thicker than the connection region and that surrounds a central axis passing through a center of gravity of orthogonal projection of the bottom part, the orthogonal projection being formed on a plane perpendicular to a growth direction of the single crystal, the central axis extending in the growth direction of the single crystal.

A method for producing a single crystal includes a step of placing a source material powder and a seed crystal within a crucible; and a step of growing a single crystal on the seed crystal. The crucible includes a peripheral wall part and a bottom part and a lid part that are connected to the peripheral wall part to close the openings of the peripheral wall part. In the step of growing the single crystal on the seed crystal, the crucible is disposed on a spacer so as to form a space starting directly below an outer surface of the bottom part, and the peripheral wall part and an auxiliary heating member that is placed so as to face the outer surface of the bottom part with the space therebetween are heated by induction heating to sublime the source material powder to cause recrystallization on the seed crystal.

A manufacturing method of a silicon carbide ingot includes the following. A raw material containing carbon and silicon and a seed located above the raw material are provided in a reactor. A first surface of the seed faces the raw material. The reactor and the raw material are heated, where part of the raw material is vaporized and transferred to the first surface of the seed and a sidewall of the seed and forms a silicon carbide material on the seed, to form a growing body containing the seed and the silicon carbide material. The growing body grows along a radial direction of the seed, and the growing body grows along a direction perpendicular to the first surface of the seed. The reactor and the raw material are cooled to obtain a silicon carbide ingot. A diameter of the silicon carbide ingot is greater than a diameter of the seed.

Methods for purifying reaction precursors used in the synthesis of inorganic compounds and methods for synthesizing inorganic compounds from the purified precursors are provided. Also provided are methods for purifying the inorganic compounds and methods for crystallizing the inorganic compounds from a melt. γ and X-ray detectors incorporating the crystals of the inorganic compounds are also provided.

Methods for purifying reaction precursors used in the synthesis of inorganic compounds and methods for synthesizing inorganic compounds from the purified precursors are provided. Also provided are methods for purifying the inorganic compounds and methods for crystallizing the inorganic compounds from a melt. γ and X-ray detectors incorporating the crystals of the inorganic compounds are also provided.

A SiC single crystal manufacturing apparatus of the present invention includes a growth container having a growth space in which a SiC single crystal is grown in a first direction and a heat insulating material which covers the growth container and includes a plurality of units, and the plurality of units include a first unit and a second unit having at least a thermal conductivity different from that of the first unit, and the first unit includes a container made of at least one of graphite and a metal carbide and a filler filled into the container in a replaceable manner.

A SiC single crystal manufacturing apparatus of the present invention includes a growth container having a growth space in which a SiC single crystal is grown in a first direction and a heat insulating material which covers the growth container and includes a plurality of units, and the plurality of units include a first unit and a second unit having at least a thermal conductivity different from that of the first unit, and the first unit includes a container made of at least one of graphite and a metal carbide and a filler filled into the container in a replaceable manner.

The present invention provides a heat-insulating shield member, wherein the heat-insulating shield member is arranged and used between a SiC source housing (3) and a substrate support (4) in a single crystal manufacturing apparatus (10), wherein the single crystal manufacturing apparatus (10) comprises a crystal growth container (2) and a heating member (5) arranged on an outer periphery of the crystal growth container (2), wherein the crystal growth container (2) includes the SiC source housing (3) disposed at a lower portion of the apparatus, and the substrate support (4) which is arranged above the SiC source housing (3) and supports a substrate (S) used for crystal growth so as to face the SiC source housing (3), and wherein the single crystal manufacturing apparatus (10) is configured to grow a single crystal (W) from a SiC source (M) on the substrate (S) by sublimating the SiC source (M) from the SiC source housing (3).