A method of fabricating a SiC single crystal comprising: (a) sublimation growing a SiC single crystal on a surface of seed crystal in the presence of a temperature gradient; and (b) during step (a), controlling said temperature gradient such that a radial temperature gradient in the crystal is positive and substantially shallow, and controlling a flux of SiC bearing vapors by substantially restricting said flux to a central area of the surface of the seed crystal and restricting said flux to a central area of the surface of the seed crystal via a separation plate disposed between the seed crystal and a source of the SiC bearing vapors, wherein the separation plate includes an outer flux permeable part surrounding an inner flux permeable part that is more permeable to the flux of SiC bearing vapors than the outer flux permeable part; wherein the outer flux permeable part includes high-density, small-grain, low-porosity graphite, the inner flux permeable part includes lower-density, large-grain, high-porosity graphite, different from the graphite of the outer flux permeable part, and the graphite of the inner flux permeable part has a porous nature with open, interconnecting pores, and is thereby substantially permeable to the flux of the SiC bearing vapors; wherein the separation plate is chemically inert to the vapors generated by sublimation of the SiC source material and wherein the central area of the surface of the seed crystal is between 30% and 60% of a total surface area of the seed crystal substantially around a center of the seed crystal. (a) sublimation growing a SiC single crystal on a surface of seed crystal in the presence of a temperature gradient; and (b) during step (a), controlling said temperature gradient such that a radial temperature gradient in the crystal is positive and substantially shallow, and controlling a flux of SiC bearing vapors by substantially restricting said flux to a central area of the surface of the seed crystal and restricting said flux to a central area of the surface of the seed crystal via a separation plate disposed between the seed crystal and a source of the SiC bearing vapors, wherein the separation plate includes an outer flux permeable part surrounding an inner flux permeable part that is more permeable to the flux of SiC bearing vapors than the outer flux permeable part; wherein the outer flux permeable part includes high-density, small-grain, low-porosity graphite, the inner flux permeable part includes lower-density, large-grain, high-porosity graphite, different from the graphite of the outer flux permeable part, and the graphite of the inner flux permeable part has a porous nature with open, interconnecting pores, and is thereby substantially permeable to the flux of the SiC bearing vapors; wherein the separation plate is chemically inert to the vapors generated by sublimation of the SiC source material and wherein the central area of the surface of the seed crystal is between 30% and 60% of a total surface area of the seed crystal substantially around a center of the seed crystal. the outer flux permeable part includes high-density, small-grain, low-porosity graphite, the inner flux permeable part includes lower-density, large-grain, high-porosity graphite, different from the graphite of the outer flux permeable part, and the graphite of the inner flux permeable part has a porous nature with open, interconnecting pores, and is thereby substantially permeable to the flux of the SiC bearing vapors; wherein the separation plate is chemically inert to the vapors generated by sublimation of the SiC source material and wherein the central area of the surface of the seed crystal is between 30% and 60% of a total surface area of the seed crystal substantially around a center of the seed crystal. <EOS>