Patent ID: 7625447

Claim:
A crystal growing method, comprising the steps of: forming a step-terrace structure on said SiC surface; removing an oxide film which is naturally formed on said surface in an atmosphere of reduced oxygen partial pressure and covers the step-terrace structure; after the removing step, performing at least one cycle of a process including irradiating Si or Ga atomic beam on the surface and then heating the irradiated surface thereby separating said Ga or Si from the irradiated surface and removing oxygen on the surface to provide a flat and clean SiC surface; and after the performing step, growing a Group-III nitride on the surface without said Ga or Si left in-between while the step-terrace structure is maintained, by adjusting a pre-feeding time of a Group-III element thereby preventing excess aggregation or lack of the Group-III element, feeding the Group III element and feeding nitrogen after the Group III element has been fed.