Patent ID: 7381268

Claim:
A crystal manufacturing apparatus that grows Group III nitride crystals using a crystal raw material solution containing Group III elements, nitrogen and at least one of an alkali metal and an alkaline-earth metal, the Group III nitride crystals being grown in an atmosphere of gas containing nitrogen by applying heat and pressure thereto so as to allow the nitrogen and the Group III elements in the crystal raw material solution to react with each other, the apparatus comprising: a reactor vessel having a main body, a lid, a gas inlet and a gas outlet, in which the crystal raw material solution can be placed; a pressure-resistant vessel having a main body and a lid, in which the reactor vessel can be placed; and a gas supplying device for introducing the gas containing nitrogen into the reactor vessel, wherein the reactor vessel and the gas supplying device are coupled directly so that gas is supplied from the gas supplying device to the gas inlet of the reactor vessel without being exoosed to the pressure-resistant vessel, and gas containing nitrogen that is not used for the reaction is exhausted through the gas outlet.