Apparatus for producing single crystal and quasi-single crystal, and associated method

A method, comprising:

• disposing a flux material and a source material in a volume, the volume having a first region and a second region;
• controlling a temperature in the first region to be different than the temperature in the second region, and the first region temperature being sufficiently high to initiate crystal growth of the source material onto a surface of a seed crystal;
• and
• changing a spatial location of the first region in the volume during crystal growth such that crystal growth propagates outward from the seed crystal surface toward the first region wherein changing the spatial location comprises one or both of:
• applying energy at differing intensities to varying locations within the volume;
• or
• translating the energy source relative to the volume.

A method of forming a single crystal or quasi-single crystal in a sealable reaction vessel having an inner chamber, the method comprising:

• providing a source material and a flux material into the chamber, wherein the source material comprises at least one Group III metal and at least one nitrogen-containing material, and the flux material comprises one or more of a phosphorous compound, a rare earth metal, or a material comprising an element selected from the group consisting of Li, Rb, Cs, Mg, Ca, Sr, Ba, Sc, Ti, V, Cr, Mn, Fe, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn, Y, Zr, Nb, Mo, Pd, Ag, Hf, Ta, W, Pt, Au, Hg, Al, Tl, Ge, P, and Sb, and the flux material is a solid at about 30 degrees Celsius;
• sealing the reaction vessel;
• heating the reaction vessel to a predetermined temperature and applying a predetermined pressure to the vessel, wherein the predetermined pressure is sufficiently high to suppress decomposition of a Group III metal nitride formed at the predetermined temperature;
• and
• forming at least one single crystal or quasi-single crystal comprising a Group III metal nitride.

A method of forming a single crystal or quasi-single crystal, the method comprising:

• defining a crystal growth region within a crucible;
• contacting a source material and a flux material in the crystal growth region, the source material comprising a Group III metal, and the flux material comprising a material selected from the group consisting of metals, phosphides, nitrides, amides, halides, and combinations of two or more thereof;
• providing a temperature distribution within at least a portion of crucible to initiate growth in the crystal growth region of the single crystal or quasi-single crystal from the source material;
• affecting the temperature distribution to translate the crystal growth region relative to the crucible;
• and
• growing the crystal.

A crystal growth apparatus, comprising:

• means for defining a volume, the volume having a first region and a second region, and the volume being operable to contain a flux material, a source material, and a seed crystal, wherein the seed crystal has a surface within the first region;
• means for controlling a temperature in the first region to be different than the temperature in the second region and for increasing the first region temperature to be sufficiently high to initiate crystal growth of the source material at the seed crystal surface, wherein the first and second regions are within the volume;
• means for changing a spatial location of the first region relative to the volume during crystal growth;
• and
• means for sealing the volume.