Patent ID: 7371281
Filing Date: 2008-05-13
Classification: C30B

Abstract:
1. A method for producing a silicon carbide single crystal, comprising the steps of: providing a graphite-made growth crucible with a low-temperature section and a high-temperature section; placing a seed crystal substrate formed of silicon carbide single crystal in the low-temperature section of the growth crucible; placing a silicon carbide raw material in the high-temperature section of the growth crucible; and depositing a gas sublimated from the silicon carbide raw material onto the seed crystal substrate to thereby grow a silicon carbide single crystal, further comprising the steps of: using an outer crucible to surround the growth crucible, with a space left therebetween; continuously feeding a silicon raw material in solid form from outside into the space; and evaporating the silicon raw material in the space to thereby form a silicon gas serving as the atmosphere gas surrounding the growth crucible wherein the silicon carbide single crystal is grown with an atmosphere gas that surrounds the growth crucible containing a silicon gas and with vapor pressure of the silicon gas that surrounds the growth crucible continuously maintained to be higher than that of the silicon gas in the gas sublimated from the silicon carbide raw material in the growth crucible and with vapor pressure of silicon gas in the growth crucible maintained substantially equal to or higher than equilibrium vapor pressure of the silicon gas contained in the sublimated gas.