Patent ID: 8591647

Claim:
A method of producing a single crystal body of a group III nitride, comprising: forming a molten flux of an alkali metal element in a pressurized reaction vessel confining therein said molten flux together with an atmosphere containing N (nitrogen), such that said molten flux contains a group III element in addition to said alkali metal element; disposing a seed crystal composed of a nitride of the group III element, increasing a pressure in said reaction vessel, and growing a nitride of said group III element in the form of a single crystal body having a size of 1 cm or more in said molten flux contained in the reaction vessel while holding a temperature and the increased pressure in the reaction vessel; and supplying a compound containing N directly into the atmosphere in said reaction vessel from a source located outside said reaction vessel during a growth of said single crystal body, said compound containing N being a source material of said single crystal body of the group III nitride, wherein said step of growing said single crystal body of nitride comprises the step of disposing the seed crystal in said reaction vessel.