Patent ID: 8470090

Claim:
A method of growing AlN crystal to have a carbon-atom concentration of 1×10 15 atoms·cm −3 to 1×10 20 atoms·cm −3 inclusive, the AlN crystal growth method comprising: placing either an SiC seed crystal substrate or an AlN seed crystal substrate inside a crystal-growth compartment at a first end thereof, the crystal-growth compartment arranged within, at a spacing apart from, a crystal growth vessel, formed of graphite, provided within a reaction chamber, the spacing between the crystal-growth compartment and the crystal growth vessel forming a carbon-containing gas producing compartment, and the crystal-growth compartment having, at a second end thereof opposite the first end, an opening onto the carbon-containing gas producing compartment; placing an AlN source into the crystal-growth compartment along the second end thereof; growing the AlN crystal by sublimation of the AlN source onto the seed crystal substrate; reacting the AlN source with carbon in, as a supply source, the graphite forming the crystal growth vessel so as to generate a carbon-containing gas in the carbon-containing gas producing compartment; and through said opening supplying the carbon-containing gas from the carbon-containing gas producing compartment into the inside of the crystal-growth compartment during the sublimation growth of the crystal, at a partial pressure such that the ratio of the partial pressure of the gas containing carbon to a total pressure of gas inside the reaction chamber during crystal growth is between 2×10 −5 and 0.9 inclusive.