This invention provides a paste composition that enables a silicon germanium layer to be formed safely and easily, and a method for forming a silicon germanium layer safely and easily. The present invention provides a paste composition for forming a silicon germanium layer, the composition comprising aluminum and germanium, wherein the content of the germanium is more than 1 part by mass and 10000 parts by mass or less, per 100 parts by mass of the aluminum.

A crystal substrate 1 includes an underlying layer 2 and a thick film 3. The underlying layer 2 is composed of a crystal of a nitride of a group 13 element and includes a first main face 2a and a second main face 2b. The thick film 3 is composed of a crystal of a nitride of a group 13 element and provided over the first main face of the underlying layer. The underlying layer 2 includes a low carrier concentration region 5 and a high carrier concentration region 4 both extending between the first main face 2a and the second main face 2b. The low carrier concentration region 5 has a carrier concentration of 10.sup.17/cm.sup.3 or lower and a defect density of 10.sup.7/cm.sup.2 or lower. The high carrier concentration region 4 has a carrier concentration of 10.sup.19/cm.sup.3 or higher and a defect density of 10.sup.8/cm.sup.2 or higher. The thick film 3 has a carrier concentration of 10.sup.18/cm.sup.3 or higher and 10.sup.19/cm.sup.3 or lower and a defect density of 10.sup.7/cm.sup.2 or lower.

The present invention relates to a silicon-based molten composition for forming a SiC single crystal by a solution method, the composition containing silicon, carbon, and a metal satisfying 0.70Csisol1.510 with respect to a solubility parameter (Csisol) defined by the following Equation (1):

Csisol=AB+12Equation (1) wherein, A is first energy (A) of a first evaluation lattice containing silicon atoms, carbon atoms, and metal atoms, in a silicon crystal lattice containing the metal and the carbon; B is second energy (B) of a second evaluation lattice containing silicon atoms and metal atoms, in a silicon crystal lattice containing the metal; 1 is 5.422 as a constant value, and 2 is 9.097 as a constant value.

A composite substrate includes a polycrystalline ceramic substrate, a silicon substrate directly bonded to the polycrystalline ceramic substrate, a seed crystal film formed on the silicon substrate by vapor phase process and made of a nitride of a group 13 element, and a gallium nitride crystal layer grown on the seed crystal film by flux method.

A Group-III element nitride semiconductor substrate includes a first surface and a second surface. A minimum value of a specific resistance in the first surface is 1?10.sup.7 ?.Math.cm or more, and the minimum value of the specific resistance in the first surface is 0.01 or more times as large as a maximum value of the specific resistance in the first surface.

Photoactive silicon films may be formed by electrodeposition from a molten salt electrolyte. In an embodiment, SiO.sub.2 is electrochemically reduced in a molten salt bath to deposit silicon on a carbonaceous substrate.

Provided is a method for producing a SiC single crystal which can suppress generation of SiC polycrystals. The method according to the present embodiment is in accordance with a solution growth method. The method for producing a SiC single crystal according to the present embodiment comprises a power-output increasing step, a contact step, and a growth step. In the power-output increasing step, high-frequency power output of an induction heating device is increased to crystal-growth high-frequency power output. In the contact step, a SiC seed crystal is brought into contact with a SiC solution. The high-frequency power output of the induction heating device in the contact step is more than 80% of the crystal-growth high-frequency power output. The temperature of the SiC solution in the contact step is less than a crystal growth temperature. In the growth step, the SiC single crystal is grown at the crystal growth temperature.

To reduce ungrown region or abnormal grain growth region in growing a Group III nitride semiconductor through a flux method. A seed substrate has a structure in which a Group III nitride semiconductor layer is formed on a ground substrate as a base, and a mask is formed on the Group III nitride semiconductor layer. The mask has a plurality of dotted windows in an equilateral triangular lattice pattern. A Group III nitride semiconductor is grown through flux method on the seed substrate. Carbon is placed on a lid of a crucible holing the seed substrate and a molten mixture so that carbon is not contact with the molten mixture at the start of crystal growth. Thereby, carbon is gradually added to the molten mixture as time passes. Thus, ungrown region or abnormal grain growth region is reduced in the Group III nitride semiconductor crystal grown on the seed substrate.

Graphene layers made of primarily sp2 bonded atoms and associated methods are disclosed. In one aspect, for example, a method of forming a graphite film can include heating a solid substrate under vacuum to a solubilizing temperature that is less than a melting point of the solid substrate, solubilizing carbon atoms from a graphite source into the heated solid substrate, and cooling the heated solid substrate at a rate sufficient to form a graphite film from the solubilized carbon atoms on at least one surface of the solid substrate. The graphite film is formed to be substantially free of lattice defects.

A method for manufacturing a group III nitride semiconductor crystal substrate includes providing, as a seed crystal substrate, a group III nitride single crystal grown by a liquid phase growth method, and homoepitaxially growing a group III nitride single crystal by a vapor phase growth method on a principal surface of the seed crystal substrate. The principal surface of the seed crystal substrate is a +c-plane, and the seed crystal substrate has an atomic oxygen concentration of not more than 110.sup.17 cm.sup.3 in a crystal near the principal surface over an entire in-plane region thereof.