METHOD FOR PRODUCING III GROUP ELEMENT NITRIDE CRYSTAL, PRODUCTION APPARATUS FOR USE THEREIN, AND SEMICONDUCTOR ELEMENT PRODUCED THEREBY

摘要

A method for producing a III Group element nitride crystal having a crystal growth step of heating under pressure a raw material fluid containing at least one of an alkali metal and an alkaline earth metal, a III Group element and nitrogen in an atmosphere of a gas containing nitrogen, to thereby react the nitrogen and the III Group element in the above raw material fluid and grow crystals, which further comprises a raw material preparation step, prior to the above crystal growth step, wherein nitrogen is dissolved in a melt containing at least one of an alkali metal and an alkaline earth metal in an atmosphere of a gas containing nitrogen under a condition wherein at least one of the temperature and the pressure of the atmosphere is set at a higher level than that for the above crystal growth step, to prepare the above raw material fluid; a production apparatus for practicing the above method, for example, shown in FIG. 7; and a semiconductor element produced by the above. The method allows the production of a crystal of a III Group element nitride having high quality and a large size in a short time, with an improved growth rate.