PROCESS FOR BULK CRYSTAL GROWTH

摘要

A process for producing a good-quality bulk single crystal in a high yield which comprises preparing a solution (12s) of the starting material in a solvent by using a large-diameter thin-sheet seed crystal (10) of a component other than the crystal to be grown, controlling the lower-side temperature of the solution (12s) (or the molten starting material (12m)) to be higher than the upper-side temperature thereof to thereby cause convection, keeping the above state for a given time to wash the surface of the seed crystal (10) by utilizing convection, and initiating crystal growth by, for example, the Bridgman method or the gradient freezing technique in such a manner that a temperature gradient will be realized on the surface of the seed crystal (10) by tilting the crystal (10) so that a crystal nucleus will be formed at the lowest-temperature site of the surface or that a minute recess or protrusion is formed in advance at one site of that surface so that the nucleus will be formed at that site.