An object of the present invention is to provide a SIC single crystal production apparatus that stirs and heats a Si—C solution easily. The apparatus includes a crucible capable of containing a Si—C solution, a seed shaft, and an induction heater. The crucible includes a tubular portion and a bottom portion. The tubular portion includes an outer peripheral surface and an inner peripheral surface. The bottom portion is disposed at a lower end of the tubular portion. The bottom portion defines an inner bottom surface of the crucible. The outer peripheral surface includes a groove extending in a direction crossing the circumferential direction of the tubular portion.

A production apparatus is used for a solution growth method. The production apparatus includes a seed shaft and a crucible. The seed shaft has a lower end surface to which an SiC seed crystal is attached. The crucible contains an SiC solution. The crucible includes a cylindrical portion, a bottom portion, and an inner lid. The bottom portion is disposed at a lower end of the cylindrical portion. The inner lid is disposed in the cylindrical portion. The inner lid has a through hole and is positioned below a liquid surface of the SiC solution when the SiC solution is contained in the crucible.

A low-resistance p-type SiC single crystal containing no inclusions is provided. This is achieved by a method for producing a SiC single crystal wherein a SiC seed crystal substrate 14 is contacted with a Si—C solution 24 having a temperature gradient in which the temperature falls from the interior toward the surface, to grow a SiC single crystal, and wherein the method comprises: using, as the Si—C solution, a Si—C 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 making the temperature gradient y (° C./cm) in the surface region of the Si—C solution 24 satisfy the following formula (1): y≧0.15789x+21.52632 (1) wherein x represents the Al content (at %) of the Si—C solution.

A method and apparatus for manufacturing an SiC single crystal includes a graphite crucible for receiving an SiC solution with first and second induction heating coils wound around it. The first induction heating coil is located higher than the surface of the SiC solution. The second induction heating coil is located lower than the first induction heating coil. A power supply supplies a first alternating current to the first induction heating coil and supplies, to the second induction heating coil, a second alternating current having the same frequency as the first alternating current and flowing in the direction opposite to that of the first alternating current. The distance between the surface of the SiC solution and the position in the portion of the side wall of the crucible in contact with the SiC solution with the strength of a magnetic field at its maximum satisfies a predetermined equation.

A preparation method and application of a Na.sub.3Ba.sub.2(B.sub.3O.sub.6).sub.2F birefringent crystal, the crystal having a chemical formula of Na.sub.3Ba.sub.2(B.sub.3O.sub.6).sub.2F, and belonging to a hexagonal crystal system, the space group being P6.sub.3/m, and the lattice parameters comprising a=7.3490(6) , c=12.6340(2) , V=590.93(12) .sup.3, Z=2; the crystal is used for an infrared/deep ultraviolet waveband, and is an uniaxial negative crystal, n.sub.e<n.sub.o, the transmission range being 175-3,350 nm, the birefringence of 0.090 (3,350 nm)-0.240 (175 nm), and the crystal being grown by employing a melting method or a flux method; the crystal prepared via the method has a short growth cycle, high crystal quality and large crystal size, is easy to grow, cut, polish and store, is stable in the air, and difficult to deliquesce, and can be used for preparation of various polarization beam polarization beam splitter prism and infrared/deep ultraviolet waveband optical communication elements.

A n-type SiC single crystal with low resistivity and low threading dislocation density is provided, which is achieved by a n-type SiC single crystal containing germanium and nitrogen, wherein the density ratio of the germanium and the nitrogen [Ge/N] satisfies the relationship 0.17<[Ge/N]<1.60.

The purpose of the present invention is to produce a high-quality SiC single crystal with good reproducibility while avoiding the fluctuations in the solution-contacting position of a seed crystal among production operations. A method for producing a SiC single crystal by bringing a SiC seed crystal supported by a supporting bar into contact with a solution that has been heated by high-frequency induction to thereby grow the SiC single crystal, wherein the supporting bar is born down while applying a magnetic field to the solution to thereby bring the SiC seed crystal into contact with the solution, and subsequently the application of the magnetic field is halted to grow the SiC single crystal.

Provided is a method for producing an n-type SiC single crystal, whereby it is possible to grow an n-type SiC single crystal having a low resistivity at a high speed. A method for producing an n-type SiC single crystal by bringing a SiC seed crystal substrate into contact with a SiC solution having such a temperature gradient that the temperature gradually decreases from the inside toward the surface, thereby achieving the crystal growth of the n-type SiC single crystal. The method involves adding a nitride to a raw material for forming the SiC solution or to the SiC solution.

A method for manufacturing a group III nitride semiconductor includes a growing step of growing the group III nitride semiconductor on a seed substrate by supplying a gas containing nitrogen to a mixed melt containing a group III metal and a flux. The seed substrate has a substrate and a plurality of seed crystals provided on the substrate and composed of the group III nitride semiconductor. In the method, the growing step includes a generation step of generating an initial nucleus composed of the group III nitride semiconductor on each seed crystal; and a growth step of growing the initial nucleus after the generation step. In the generation step, the mixed melt contains calcium.