Patent ID: 7371280

Claim:
A method of growing crystalline bodies at high pressures, comprising: a) providing a high pressure apparatus having a die chamber and a high pressure volume within the die chamber, said die chamber having a chamber axis; b) assembling a high pressure reaction assembly having a plurality of crystalline growth cells aligned substantially along an assembly axis, each growth cell including a crystalline seed, a catalyst layer, and a raw material layer; c) placing said high pressure reaction assembly at least partially within the high pressure volume such that the assembly axis is oriented substantially perpendicular to gravity; d) applying a pressing force to the reaction assembly substantially along the chamber axis which is sufficient to provide high pressures within the reaction assembly; and e) actively controlling temperature profiles within the plurality of growth cells, such that each crystal growth surface has a lower temperature than a corresponding raw material flux surface, including providing cooling elements in thermal contact with the crystal growth surfaces.