Method for producing SiC single crystal and method for suppressing dislocations in SiC single crystal

A method for producing a SiC single crystal, comprising the steps of, in order:

• forming a SiC crucible by rendering an alloy into a melt, wherein the alloy includes silicon and a constituent metallic part M referred to as a metallic element M that increases carbon solubility, and impregnating the melt into a SiC sintered body having a relative density of from 50 to 90%,
• wherein the metallic element M comprises:
• (1) at least one first metallic element M1 selected from the group consisting of La, Ce, Pr, Nd, Sm, Eu, Gd, Tb, Dy, Ho, Y and Lu;
• and
• (2) (i) at least one second metallic element M2 selected from the group consisting of Ti, V, Cr, Mn, Fe, Co, Ni and Cu, (ii) at least one third metallic element M3 selected from the group consisting of Ga, Ge, Sn, Pb and Zn, or (iii) at least one second metallic element M2 and at least one third metallic element M3,
• placing silicon and the metallic element M in the SiC crucible and heating the crucible to melt the silicon and metallic element M within the crucible and form a Si—C solution,
• dissolving in the Si—C solution, from surfaces of the SiC crucible in contact with the Si—C solution, silicon and carbon making up the SiC crucible,
• contacting a SiC seed crystal with a top portion of the Si—C solution to grow a first SiC single crystal on the SiC seed crystal by a solution process, and
• bulk growing a second SiC single crystal on a face of the solution-grown first SiC single crystal by a sublimation process or a gas process.