Abstract: A method of producing an inorganic material (S10) according to the present invention includes a vitrification step (S12) of applying shearing stress and compressive stress to a mixed powder (MP) of a plurality of kinds of inorganic compound powders by using a ring ball mill mechanism (70) to vitrify at least a part of the mixed powder (MP); and a dispersion step (S13) of dispersing the vitrified mixed powder (MP) after the vitrification step (S12), where a combined step of the vitrification step (S12) and the dispersion step (S13) is performed a plurality of times to obtain a vitrified inorganic material powder from the mixed powder.

Abstract: A method for producing a group 13 nitride single crystal includes dissolving and crystal growing. The dissolving includes dissolving nitrogen in a mixed melt in a reaction vessel that contains the mixed melt, a seed crystal, and a surrounding member. The mixed melt contains an alkali metal and a group 13 metal. The seed crystal is a seed crystal that is placed in the mixed melt and includes a group 13 nitride crystal in which a principal face is a c-plane. The surrounding member is arranged so as to surround the entire area of a side face of the seed crystal. The crystal growing includes growing a group 13 nitride crystal on the seed crystal.

Abstract: A Group III-V compound semiconductor epitaxial layer has a tilt angle of at most 100 seconds and/or a tilt angle of at most 100 seconds. The layer is epitaxially grown by use of a mask, wherein the mask satisfies the equation (1): h≧(w/2)tan &thgr;  (1) where “&thgr;” is a base angle of a facet structure of the Group III-V compound semiconductor layer on the epitaxial growth; “h” is a thickness of the mask; and “w” is an opening width of the mask at its lower level, and the opening width is defined in a direction included in a plane which is vertical to both the surface of the base layer and the side face of the facet structure.

Abstract: After a GaN film 12 is formed on a (0001) plane sapphire (Al2O3) substrate 11, islands of the GaN film 12 are formed by wet etching. An upper part of the islands of the GaN film 12 is a single-crystal layer. By performing epitaxial growth over the islands of GaN film 12, a GaN film 15 with little crystal defect is obtained.

Abstract: The Group III-V compound semiconductor manufacturing method which pertains to the present invention is a semiconductor manufacturing method employing epitaxy which comprises (a) a step in which growing areas are produced using a mask patterned on a substrate surface and (b) a step in which a Group III-V compound semiconductor layer is grown in the growing areas while forming facet structures. As epitaxy is continued, adjacent facet structures come into contact so that the surface of the semiconductor layer becomes planarized. Since lattice defects extend towards the facet structures, they do not extend towards the surface of the semiconductor layer. Accordingly, the number of lattice defects in the vicinity of the semiconductor layer surface is reduced.

Abstract: A Group III-V compound semiconductor epitaxial layer has a tilt angle of at most 100 seconds and/or a tilt angle of at most 100 seconds.

Abstract: The Group III-V compound semiconductor manufacturing method which pertains to the present invention is a semiconductor manufacturing method employing epitaxy which comprises (a) a step in which growing areas are produced using a mask patterned on a substrate surface and (b) a step in which a Group III-V compound semiconductor layer is grown in the growing areas while forming facet structures.

Abstract: The Group III-V compound semiconductor manufacturing method which pertains to the present invention is a semiconductor manufacturing method employing epitaxy which comprises (a) a step in which growing areas are produced using a mask patterned on a substrate surface and (b) a step in which a Group III-V compound semiconductor layer is grown in the growing areas while forming facet structures. As epitaxy is continued, adjacent facet structures come into contact so that the surface of the semiconductor layer becomes planarized. Since lattice defects extend towards the facet structures, they do not extend towards the surface of the semiconductor layer. Accordingly, the number of lattice defects in the vicinity of the semiconductor layer surface is reduced.

Abstract: In a method of manufacturing a semiconductor device by using a sapphire substrate, a nitrogen-based semiconductor thick film is deposited on the sapphire substrate by VPE and is left without any cracks by etching the sapphire substrate by an etchant. The nitrogen-based semiconductor thick film serves as a substrate for manufacturing the semiconductor device.

Abstract: A GaN crystal film having a mask patterned in a stripe for forming multiple growing areas on a sapphire substrate and coalesced GaN crystals covering the mask dividing the areas, grown from the neighboring growing areas, comprising defects where multiple dislocations along with the stripe are substantially aligned with the normal line of the substrate, in the crystal areas over the mask, and dislocations propagating in substantially parallel with the substrate surface while, in the vicinity of the areas where the crystals are coalesced over the mask, propagating substantially in the normal line of the substrate surface, and a manufacturing process therefor. According to this invention, there can be provided a GaN crystal film in which strain, defects and dislocations are reduced and which tends not to generate cracks.

Abstract: A method of crystal growth of a GaN layer with an extremely high surface planarity over a GaAs substrate is provided, wherein a GaAs substrate is heated to a temperature in the range of 600.degree. C. to 700.degree. C. without supplying any group-V element including arsenic to form a Ga-rich surface on the GaAs substrate, before a first source material including N and a second source material including Ga are supplied along with a carrier gas onto a surface of the GaAs substrate to form a GaN layer over the GaAs substrate.

Abstract: A crystal growth method for growing on a gallium arsenide (GaAs) substrate a gallium nitride (GaN) film which is good in surface flatness and superior in crystallinity. According to the method, a GaAs substrate having a surface which is inclined with respect to the GaAs(100) face is used. The inclination angle of the substrate surface is larger than 0 degree but smaller than 35 degrees with respect to the GaAs(100) face. The inclination direction of the substrate surface is within a range of an angular range from the ?0,0,1! direction of GaAs to the ?0,-1,0! direction past the ?0,-1,1! direction and angles less than 5 degrees on opposite sides of the angular range around an ?1,0,0! direction of gallium arsenide taken as an axis, or within another range crystallographically equivalent to the range. The GaN layer is formed on the surface of the GaAs substrate preferably by hydride vapor deposition method.

Abstract: In a heterostructure III-V nitride semiconductor device, an InP substrate has a surface having a sloped angle of 0.degree. to 16.degree. with respect to a (100) surface thereof. At least one GaN layer is formed on the InP substrate.

Abstract: A method of producing n-type III-V compound semiconductor comprises growing a plurality of monolayers of III-V compound semiconductor molecules on a III-V compound substrate; growing a single layer of group VI element on the III-V monolayers so as to occupy the lattice points for group V element by means of Atomic Layer Epitaxy process; decreasing the number of group VI element by exposing the single layer to the gas of group V element; and growing a plurality of monolayers of III-V compound semiconductor molecules on the group VI element-doped layer by means of the Atomic Layer Epitaxy process.

Abstract: An n-type III-V compound semiconductor comprises a plurality of monolayers of III-V compound semiconductor molecules having a layer-by-layer structure of group III element and group V element laminated alternately, and a group VI element-doped monolayer. The group VI element-doped monolayer is inserted into the III-V compound semiconductor molecules by occupying lattice points which were occupied by the group V element. The layers of the semiconductor are grown by Atomic Layer Epitaxy process.