Patent ID: 8216365

Claim:
A method for producing a semiconductor crystal in which a group III nitride-based compound semiconductor crystal is grown by reacting nitrogen (N) with a Group III element of gallium (Ga), aluminum (Al), or indium (In) in a flux mixture containing an alkali metal, said method comprising: placing, in a crucible, one or more plate-form seed crystals each having a c-plane as a growth surface, the plate-form seed crystal comprising a group III nitride-based compound semiconductor; and supporting each seed crystal at an m-plane thereof by a supporting tool in condition that an a-plane thereof is other than contacting with the supporting tool, to thereby maintain the c-axis of the seed crystal in a horizontal direction or in an inclined direction within 45° with respect to the horizontal direction, the m-plane and the a-plane being a side wall of the plate-form seed crystal.