Patent ID: 7964483

Claim:
A growth method for growing a nitride semiconductor epitaxial layer comprising: a first step of growing a second nitride semiconductor epitaxial layer on a first nitride semiconductor epitaxial layer at a first temperature; a second step of growing a third nitride semiconductor epitaxial layer on the second nitride semiconductor epitaxial layer at a second temperature; a third step of releasing nitrogen from the second nitride semiconductor epitaxial layer by collectively increasing a temperature of the first nitride semiconductor epitaxial layer, nitride semiconductor epitaxial layer, and the third nitride semiconductor epitaxial layer within a growth chamber, wherein the second nitride semiconductor epitaxial layer releases nitrogen when its temperature reaches a third temperature higher than the second temperature, wherein each of the first nitride semiconductor epitaxial layer and third nitride semiconductor epitaxial layer is made of a material whose equilibrium vapor pressure of nitrogen is lower than that of the second nitride semiconductor epitaxial layer and wherein the releasing nitrogen of the third step is made using the difference in the equilibrium vapor pressure of nitrogen at the third temperature; and a fourth step of growing a fourth nitride semiconductor epitaxial layer on the third nitride semiconductor epitaxial layer after releasing nitrogen from the second nitride semiconductor epitaxial layer and before separating a first part which includes the first nitride semiconductor epitaxial layer.