Abstract: A method of forming at least one single crystal of a Group III metal nitride. The method includes the steps of: providing a flux material and a source material comprising at least one Group III metal selected from the group consisting of aluminum, indium, and gallium, to a reaction vessel; sealing the reaction vessel; heating the reaction vessel to a predetermined temperature and applying a predetermined pressure to the vessel. The pressure is sufficient to suppress decomposition of the Group III metal nitride at the temperature. Group III metal nitrides, as well as electronic devices having a Group III metal nitride substrate formed by the method are also disclosed.

Abstract: A melt level or the gap between a melt surface and a heat shield is measured accurately irrespective of how the melt surface is. A laser beam from a range-finding unit is reflected by a scanning mirror and projected on a melt surface through an entrance window and a quartz prism in a chamber of a puller. After specular reflection, the beam forms a measurement spot in the bottom of a heat shield and scatters. Part of the scatter, after specular reflection at the melt surface (secondary reflection), passes through the prism, the entrance window and the scanning mirror to the range-finding unit. The range-finding unit carries out triangulation using the distance between a laser source and a photodetector therein, and the angle of incidence and the angle of the received laser beam.

Abstract: In a production method for producing a compound semiconductor single crystal by LEC method using a crystal growth apparatus with a double crucible structure, it was made to grow up a crystal by covering the second crucible with a plate-like member having a pass-through slot for being capable of introducing a crystal pulling-up shaft having a seed crystal holding part at a tip into the second crucible and creating a state where an atmosphere within the second crucible scarcely changes (a semi-sealed structure).

Abstract: The invention is directed to a process of purifying metal fluoride materials used to make metal fluoride single crystals suitable for making optical elements used in the transmission of wavelengths below 200 nm, and in particular to a process of purifying such materials by the use of a halogen containing plasma to convert metal oxygenates contaminating the feedstocks used in the preparation of the crystals to metal fluorides. The invention also is directed to a process of growing a metal fluoride single crystal using a crystal growth furnace to carry out the foregoing purification procedure followed by the steps of melting the purified material and cooling it using s selected time and temperature cycle to from a metal fluoride single crystal.

Abstract: This invention relates to crystallization based assays for identifying ligands that bind to a macromolecule.

Abstract: An inexpensive sheet with excellent evenness and a desired uniform thickness can be obtained by cooling a base having protrusions, dipping the surfaces of the protrusions of the cooled base into a melt material containing at least one of a metal material and a semiconductor material for crystal growth of the material on the surfaces of the protrusions. In addition, by rotating a roller having on its peripheral surface protrusions and a cooling portion for cooling said protrusions, the surfaces of the cooled protrusions can be dipped into a melt material containing at least one of a metal material and a semiconductor material for crystal growth of the material on the surfaces of the protrusions. Thus, a sheet with a desired uniform thickness can be obtained without slicing process.

Abstract: In a method for growing a single crystal by bringing a seed crystal (4) into contact with a melt (2) of raw materials melted under heating in a crucible (1) a blade member (5) or a baffle member in disposed in the raw material melt (2) in the crucible (1) and a single crystal is grown by pulling up it with rotating the crucible (1) to thereby grow various single crystals including CLBO from the highly viscous raw material melt (2) as high quality and high performance crystals.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a nanocrystallite from a M-containing salt forms a nanocrystallite. The nanocrystallite can be a member of a population of nanocrystallites having a narrow size distribution and can include one or more semiconductor materials. Semiconducting nanocrystallites can photoluminesce and can have high emission quantum efficiencies.

Abstract: A method for producing an optical fluoride crystal includes translating a crucible containing a molten crystal raw material from a first zone, through a thermally-graded zone, into a second zone to form a crystal and controlling a temperature of at least one of the first zone and the second zone such that an effective radial temperature gradient at a point in the thermally-graded zone where the crystal is formed does not exceed 5° C./cm.

Abstract: A method of producing a crystal formed from a first monocrystalline material. The preferred method includes assembling a first substrate with at least one film or at least one layer formed from a second monocrystalline material, and growing the first material on the film or thin layer. The invention also provides a corresponding crystal.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for controlling the diameter of a monocrystalline ingot as it is being pulled from a melt by changing the temperature of the melt. The ingot is pulled from the melt at a target rate that substantially follows a predetermined velocity profile. A temperature model represents variations in the melt temperature in response to variations in power supplied to a heater for heating the melt. In generating a temperature set point representing a target melt temperature, an error between a target diameter and a measured diameter of the ingot is determined and proportional-integral-derivative (PID) control is performed on the error signal. The PID control generates the temperature set point as a function of the error signal. In turn, the temperature model determines a power set point for the power supplied to the heater as a function of the temperature set point generated by the PID control and the power supplied to the heater is adjusted according to the power set point.

Abstract: A protein crystal growth assembly including a crystal growth cell and further including a cell body having a top side and a bottom side and a first aperture defined therethrough, the cell body having opposing first and second sides and a second aperture defined therethrough. A cell barrel is disposed within the cell body, the cell barrel defining a cavity alignable with the first aperture of the cell body, the cell barrel being rotatable within the second aperture. A reservoir is coupled to the bottom side of the cell body and a cap having a top side is disposed on the top side of the cell body. The protein crystal growth assembly may be employed in methods including vapor diffusion crystallization, liquid to liquid crystallization, batch crystallization, and temperature induction batch mode crystallization.

Abstract: The object of the present invention is a process of preparing a crystal, which comprises:

Abstract: The present invention is directed to polycrystalline alkali metal or alkaline earth metal beads, in particular CaF2 beads, having a diameter greater than or equal to 100 &mgr;m, advantageously between 100 &mgr;m and 2 cm, and an apparent density greater than 60%, advantageously at least 90%, of the theoretical density of said fluoride. The invention is also directed to a process for the preparation of the foregoing alkali metal and alkaline earth fluoride beads, and for the preparation of single crystals of said fluorides using the foregoing polycrystalline beads.

Abstract: An unliganded form of Staphylococcus aureus thymidylate kinase (S. aureus TMK) has been crystallized, and the three dimensional x-ray crystal structure has been solved to 2.3 Å resolution. The x-ray crystal structure is useful for solving the structure of other molecules or molecular complexes, and designing inhibitors of S. aureus TMK activity.

Abstract: An ingot is manufactured by pulling it up such that V/Ga and V/Gb become 0.23 to 0.50 mm2/minute ° C., respectively, where V (mm/minute) is a pulling-up speed, and Ga (° C./mm) is and axial temperature gradient at the center of the ingot and Gb (° C./mm) is an axial temperature gradient at the edge of the ingot at temperatures in a range of 1,300° C. to a melting pointy of silicon. A wafer obtained by slicing the ingot is heat treated in a reductive atmosphere at temperature in a renge of 1,050° C. to 1,220° C. for 30 to 150 minutes. A silicon wafer free of OSF's, free of COP's, and substantially free of contamination such as Fe and of occurence of slip, is obtained.

Abstract: A crystallization tray includes a plurality of crystallization cells, each cell having a reservoir adapted to receive an equilibrating solution, a shelf located adjacent to the reservoir and adapted for use as a temporary cryogenic holding area for a crystallized substance and/or a sample holding area, and a sample drop receptacle carried by the shelf and adapted to receive a sample drop including a crystallizable substance. A related method for forming macromolecular crystals includes dispensing an equilibrating solution in the reservoirs, dispensing a plurality of macromolecular solution droplets in the sample drop receptacles, covering the cells with a cover; and crystallizing the crystallizable substance by vapor diffusion.

Abstract: When a crystalline nucleus generated from an under-cooled silicon droplet is grown up to a mono-crystalline silicon ball, a critical under-cooling &Dgr;Tcr is determined in response to a diameter d of the silicon droplet so as to satisfy the relationships of (d=5 mm, &Dgr;Tcr=100K), (d=3 mm, &Dgr;Tcr=120K) and (d=1 mm, &Dgr;Tcr=150K). A crystal grown up from the crystalline nucleus at an under-cooling &Dgr;T less than the critical under-cooling &Dgr;Tcr is a mono-crystalline silicon ball with high quality free from cracks or twins.

Abstract: A process forms a single crystal silicon ingot from varying sized pieces of polycrystalline silicon source material according to the Czochralski method. The process comprises placing into a crucible on the bottom a generally polygonal-shaped concentric array of rod-shaped polycrystalline silicon pieces having obliquely cut ends. The method of stacking the polycrystalline silicon pieces in the crucible allows for a denser packing of silicon in the crucible, can be accomplished in a quicker time then conventional packing methods, and has the potential for less damage to the crucible bottom, when comparing to standard packing methods using a size assortment of irregular shaped silicon pieces.

Abstract: A crystal growth apparatus comprising a heating furnace capable of controlling uniformly the temperature distribution in the same horizontal plane, and a method for producing a single crystal by using the crystal growth apparatus are provided. In the crystal growth apparatus comprising a cylindrical heating furnace (110) having plural heaters (101, 102, 103 and 104) laminated in multi-stage in an axial direction (Z), each heater is disposed for the terminal portions of the adjacent heaters not to be overlapped in the same position, but to be in a mutually separated position, seeing from the axial direction of the heating furnace. Concretely, in case of N (n is a positive integer of three or more) heaters, each heater (101, 102, 103 and 104) is disposed for the terminal portions (110a, 102a, 103a and 104a) of the heaters to be located at each apex of a regular n-gon (n is an integer satisfying 3≦n≦N), seeing from the axial direction Z of the heating furnace.

Abstract: An inexpensive sheet with excellent evenness and a desired uniform thickness can be obtained by cooling a base having protrusions, dipping the surfaces of the protrusions of the cooled base into a melt material containing at least one of a metal material and a semiconductor material for crystal growth of the material on the surfaces of the protrusions. In addition, by rotating a roller having on its peripheral surface protrusions and a cooling portion for cooling said protrusions, the surfaces of the cooled protrusions can be dipped into a melt material containing at least one of a metal material and a semiconductor material for crystal growth of the material on the surfaces of the protrusions. Thus, a sheet with a desired uniform thickness can be obtained without slicing process.

Abstract: An optical isolator comprsing at least two parts of a Faraday rotator obtained from a garnet crystal and an analyzer, which is small in size, can be mounted directly to a semiconductor laser. The garnet crystal is grown, by a liquid-phase epitaxial growth technique, on the substrate of a garnet with a lattice constant of 12.514±0.015 Å, and consists of the following composition formula: (Tb1−(a+b+c+d)LnaBibM1cEud)3(Fe1−eM2e)5O12 where Ln is an element selected from rare-earth elements excluding Tb and Eu, and Y; M1 is an element selected from elements Ca, Mg, and Sr; M2 is an element selected from elements of Al, Ga, Sc, In, Ti, Si, and Ge; a, b, c, d, and e are defined as 0≦a≦0.5, 0.3<b≦0.6, 0≦c≦0.02, 0<d≦0.3, and 0.01<e≦0.3, respectively.

Abstract: A polycrystalline alkali-metal or alkaline-earth metal (more particularly CaF2) fluorides, produced in an original form, namely in the form of beads; said beads having a diameter or equivalent diameter greater than or equal to 100 um, advantageously between 100 um and 2 cm and an apparent density greater than or equal to 60%, advantageously at least 90% of the theoretical density of said fluoride. A process for the preparation of single crystals of the corresponding alkali-metal or alkaline-earth metal fluorides that uses polycrystalline fluorides in the aforementioned original form.

Abstract: A hot isostatic pressing treatment is conducted for a single crystal body (11) in an atmosphere where the single crystal body (11) is stable, under a pressure of 0.2 to 304 MPa at a temperature which is 0.85 or more times the melting point in an absolute temperature unit of the single crystal body (11), for 5 minutes to 20 hours; and the single crystal body (11) is annealed. It is preferable that the atmosphere where the single crystal body (11) is stable is an inert gas atmosphere or an atmosphere containing vapor of a high vapor pressure element, and it is more preferable that the HIP treatment is conducted under a pressure of 10 to 200 MPa. Further, the single crystal body (11) may be an ingot of a silicon single crystal, a GaAs single crystal, an InP single crystal, a ZnS single crystal or a ZnSe single crystal, or a block or wafer obtained by slicing the ingot.

Abstract: The apparatus is provided with a vessel 1 for accommodating a melt 3 of material sought to be crystallized, and heaters 2 disposed symmetrically on both sides of the vessel. The vessel 1 has an interior space whose front cross section is symmetrical in shape along a vertical center line. The heaters 2 heat the vessel to create a temperature distribution in the melt in which the upper part of the vessel 1 is at a higher temperature, and the lower part thereof is at a lower temperature. The temperature distribution causes symmetrical convection flows of the melt in such a manner that two flows each move up along the side walls of the interior space of the vessel 1 and meet with each other at the top of the interior space where the vertical center line runs, and move together down along the vertical center line toward the bottom of the interior space. A single crystal is formed as the temperature at the lower end of the vessel 1 is gradually lowered below the melting point of the material.

Abstract: A gallium nitride growth process forms crystalline gallium nitride. The process comprises the steps of providing a source gallium nitride; providing mineralizer; providing solvent; providing a capsule; disposing the source gallium nitride, mineralizer and solvent in the capsule; sealing the capsule; disposing the capsule in a pressure cell; and subjecting the pressure cell to high pressure and high temperature (HPHT) conditions for a length of time sufficient to dissolve the source gallium nitride and precipitate the source gallium nitride into at least one gallium nitride crystal. The invention also provides for gallium nitride crystals formed by the processes of the invention.

Abstract: A simple and inexpensive method and apparatus for producing crystalline silicon comprising the steps of melting silicon in a mold, then cooling the bottom of the mold is cooled to create a positive temperature gradient from the bottom of the mold upward, thereby causing the molten silicon to crystallize from the inner bottom of the mold upward so that the solid-liquid phase boundary, separating the crystallized silicon from the molten silicon, moves upward as the molten silicon crystallizes. As the silicon crystallizes, an inert gas is blown onto the surface of the molten silicon from a position above the surface of the molten silicon, thereby vibrating the surface of the molten silicon in such a manner that cavities are formed in the surface of the molten silicon.

Abstract: A method is provided for the manufacture of mineral power crystals having a uniform mean size. The method includes forming a solution which is highly supersaturated with respect to the crystals. The crystals of the solution are Ostwald ripened at a level of supersaturation that produces an Ostwald steady state crystal size distribution shape wherein the crystals are of a uniform size. After Ostwald ripening ceases, the crystals further grow by supply controlled growth which uniformly increases the size thereof. This enables the supply controlled growth to be terminated at a selected, controlled point so as to produce a desired mean crystal size.

Abstract: A method of self-assembling silicon quantum dots comprises the steps of providing a substrate, forming a thin amorphous Si film, and forming a plurality of Si quantum dots by controlling the energy and the shooting numbers of an excimer laser during an annealing process, wherein the excimer laser emits light on the thin amorphous Si film.

Abstract: An apparatus for determining a melt spill during Czochralski crystal growing processes, having a sensor or detector that allows the creation or cessation of a signal when the presence of melt spill is detected. This invention includes a sensor or detector that can operate in high temperature conditions without causing contamination to the crystal growth process. Any detected melt spill triggers an alarm so that potentially dangerous and costly situations may be avoided. The melt spill detector may be placed in any location advantageous to detect the melt spill, and may be incorporated into the components of the crystal growing apparatus.

Abstract: A planar body of an oxide single crystal having a good crystallinity is grown stably to prevent cracks in the crystal when the planar body of the oxide single crystal is grown with a &mgr; pulling-down method. A raw material of the oxide single crystal is melted in a crucible 7. A seed crystal 15 is contacted to a melt 8. An oxide single crystal 31 is grown by pulling down the seed crystal 15 to draw the melt from an opening 13c of the crucible 7. A cooler is provided under the opening 13c of the crucible 7, which cool the oxide single crystal drawn from the opening of the crucible.

Abstract: An evaluation method for polycrystalline silicon including the steps of immersing the polycrystalline silicon in an agent which is capable of dissolving the polycrystalline silicon, and counting the number of foreign particles in the agent. The polycrystalline silicon thus evaluated may be used as a material for pulling single crystal silicon. The evaluation method may further include a step of analyzing the composition of the foreign particles. In yet another aspect, the evaluation method may further include a step of subjecting the agent to a circulation filtering process prior to the immersion of the polycrystalline silicon in the agent.

Abstract: A method of self-assembling silicon quantum dots comprises the steps of providing a substrate, forming a thin amorphous Si film, and forming a plurality of Si quantum dots by controlling the energy and the shooting numbers of an excimer laser during an annealing process, wherein the excimer laser emits light on the thin amorphous Si film.

Abstract: A first step models a hot zone in a pulling apparatus of a single crystal as a mesh structure, and a second step inputs physical property values of each member corresponding to meshes combined for each member of the hot zone into a computer. A third step obtains the surface temperature distribution of each member on the basis of the calorific power of a heater and the emissivity of each member, and a fourth step obtains the internal temperature distribution of each member on the basis of the surface temperature distribution and the thermal conductivity of each member, and then further obtains the internal temperature distribution of a molten liquid being in consideration of convection. A fifth step obtains the shape of the solid-liquid interface between the single crystal and the molten liquid in accordance with an isothermal line including a tri-junction of the single crystal. A sixth step repeats said third to fifth steps until the tri-junction becomes the melting point of the single crystal.

Abstract: A method for producing a silicon ingot having a directional solidification structure comprising the steps of: placing a silicon raw material into a crucible of a melting device constructed by mounting a chill plate on an underfloor heater, mounting a crucible with a large cross-sectional area on the chill plate, providing an overhead heater over the crucible, and surrounding the circumference of the crucible with a heat insulator; heat-melting the silicon raw material by flowing an electric current through the underfloor heater and overhead heater; chilling the bottom of the crucible by halting the electric current through the underfloor heater after the silicon raw material has been completely melted to form a molten silicon; chilling the bottom of the crucible by flowing an inert gas through the chill plate; and intermittently or continuously lowering the temperature of the overhead heater by intermittently or continuously decreasing the electric current through the overhead heater, and an apparatus for pro

Abstract: A planar body with a good crystallinity is grown continuously and stably when a planar body of an oxide single crystal is grown by a micro pulling-down method. A raw material of the oxide single crystal is melted in a crucible 7. A fibrous seed crystal 15 is contacted to a melt 18, and then the melt 18 is pulled down from an opening 13c of the crucible 7 by lowering the seed crystal. A shoulder portion 14A is produced following the seed crystal, and a planar body 14B is produced following the shoulder portion. In this case, differences in lattice constants between each crystal axis of the seed crystal and each corresponding crystal axis of the shoulder portion are controlled at 1% or less, respectively.

Abstract: A method for doping a melt with a dopant has the melt being provided in a crucible. The dopant is introduced into a vessel and the vessel is immersed in the melt, the dopant being transferred into the melt through an opening which forms in the vessel. There is also an apparatus which comprises a vessel containing the dopant and a device which is connected to the vessel, for lowering the vessel into a melt and for lifting the vessel out of the melt, the vessel being provided with an opening which is blocked by a closure piece which is of the same type of material as the melt and melts when it is brought into contact with the melt.

Abstract: A method of making a nanocomposite self-assembly is provided where at least one hydrophilic compound, at least one hydrophobic compound, and at least one amphiphilic surfactant are mixed in an aqueous solvent with the solvent subsequently evaporated to form a self-assembled liquid crystalline mesophase material. Upon polymerization of the hydrophilic and hydrophobic compounds, a robust nanocomposite self-assembled material is formed. Importantly, in the reaction mixture, the amphiphilic surfactant has an initial concentration below the critical micelle concentration to allow formation of the liquid-phase micellar mesophase material. A variety of nanocomposite structures can be formed, depending upon the solvent evaporazation process, including layered mesophases, tubular mesophases, and a hierarchical composite coating composed of an isotropic worm-like micellar overlayer bonded to an oriented, nanolaminated underlayer.

Abstract: A Cerium-Doped Lutetium Oxyorthosilicate scintillator boule having a graded decay time. The method for manufacturing an LSO:Ce crystal boule having a decay time gradient decreasing from the top end to the bottom end first includes the step selecting an iridium crucible. The crucible is selected based upon its diameter relative to the diameter defined by said crystal boule. The crucible is also selected based upon its volume relative to the volume of the crystal boule to be grown. A Cerium dopant (CeO2) is added to a mixture of Lutetium Oxide (Lu2O3) and Silicon Dioxide (SiO2). The composition is heated until melted to define a melt. A seed crystal is then placed in contact with the melt, is rotated, and slowly withdrawn, thereby yielding an LSO:Ce crystal boule defining a decay time gradient.

Abstract: To obtain large, high-quality crystals of a metal ortho-phosphate, in particular GaPO4 or AlPO4, from a nutrient solution with the use of seeds, the proposal is put forward that a seed crystal with at least two rod- or wafer-shaped legs be used, which seed legs form an angle with each other and define a main growth region, and which are positioned eccentrically in the single crystal grown. Contiguous faces of two seed legs, which have been chosen for crystal growing, enclose an angle <180°. In this way the yield of the high-quality crystal region will be increased.

Abstract: A process for producing compound semiconductor single crystal, comprises the steps of: putting a compound semiconductor raw material into a crucible, setting the crucible in a vertical type of heating furnace to heat and melt the raw material by a heater, promoting a nucleation on a surface of a raw material melt by leaving a solid raw material in a part of the raw material melt, solidifying the raw material melt gradually from the surface of the raw material melt without a seed crystal, and growing a crystal by using a nucleus generated by the nucleation.

Abstract: A low-cost method of manufacturing a silicon wafer is provided. The method comprises providing a crucible for melting silicon; adding silicon to the crucible; melting the silicon to form a melt; applying an electrical potential across the crucible; pulling a silicon crystal from the melt according to the Czochralski technique at a pulling rate of greater than 1.1 mm/min; and forming a silicon wafer from the silicon crystal. The method may also include adding a nitrogen-containing dopant to the crucible. Furthermore, the method may include etching the wafer first in an alkaline etching solution, and then in an acidic etching solution. The method may also include simultaneously depositing an epitaxial first film on the frontside of the wafer and a second film on the backside of the wafer, wherein the second film traps impurities on the backside of the wafer so the impurities do not contaminate the frontside of the wafer while the epitaxial first film is being grown.

Abstract: A magnetic garnet single crystal film used for a magnetostatic wave device has a Pb content in the range of from more than zero to about 4,000 ppm by weight.

Abstract: A high-quality crystal sheet is provided. An apparatus for use in producing a crystal sheet includes a substrate having a main surface on which a crystal sheet is formed, a crucible holding a melt therein, a movable member holding the substrate to move it to bring its main surface into contact with the melt and then move the substrate away from the melt, and cooling means for cooling the movable member.

Abstract: A device for producing a silicon carbide (SiC) single crystal contains a crucible having a storage region for holding a stock of solid SiC and having a crystal region for holding a SiC seed crystal. An insert made from glassy carbon is disposed in the crucible. In the method, solid SiC is sublimed as a result of the stock being heated and SiC in the gas phase is generated, which is conveyed to the SiC seed crystal, on which it grows as an SiC single crystal. A heat flux is controlled by an insert made from glassy carbon.

Abstract: Compressed gases, liquefied gases, or supercritical fluids are utilized as anti-solvents in a crystal growing process for complex molecules. Crystals of the present invention exhibit greater crystal size and improved morphology over crystals obtained by conventional methods.

Abstract: A method for forming an optical device includes the steps of providing a first plate having a first face defining a recess, filling the recess with a material which can be crystallized, and covering the first face and the recess with a second plate having a second face, so that the second face is in contact with the first face and the material in the recess is completely enclosed by the first and second plates. The material in the recess is thereby protected from chemical and mechanical damage, as well as evaporation. In addition, the plates can be transparent, allowing the material in the recess to be visually monitored. A grown crystalline film packed in the cell can be used as a non-liner and/or electro-optical device.

Abstract: A crucible is held in a closed position when the crucible is at a certain temperature. A temperature sensitive member expands differently in response to heat than other portions of the crucible. When the temperature of the temperature sensitive member is increased, the temperature sensitive member expands an amount different than do other portions of the crucible and thereby causes the crucible to open.

Abstract: There is provided a method for preparing a large and perfect oxide crystal useful for oxide superconductors and laser transmitting elements. In the present method for preparing a large oxide single crystalline material such as superconductive crystals of RE123, a crystal precursor material is supercooled prior to the solidification thereof in the course of crystal growth of the oxide by a supercooling solidification process, followed by subjecting said precursor material to continuous slow heating while keeping the supercooled condition to promote crystal growth, as shown in FIG. 7. Seed crystals may be added to the crystal precursor material prior to solidification, if necessary, as also shown in FIG. 7.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a manufacturing method for a monocrystal and to a monocrystal manufacturing device. The present invention relates to a technology for manufacturing a granular monocrystal, wherein: melt of melted raw material is made into a supercooled spherical melt; while the melt is levitated under microgravitational conditions, the free energy of a portion of the surface of the melt is reduced, and a monocrystal is grown. A monocrystal manufacturing device 31 comprises: a gold image furnace 35, a chamber 33, a raw material supply/retention mechanism 38; a drop tube 36 and a drop tube 37; a rotating plate 39; a recovery vat 40; and the like. Raw material 32a of semiconductor material is heated and melted and allowed to free fall in a vacuum inside drop tubes 36, 37. During the drop, rotating plate 39 comes into contact with a portion of the surface of supercooled spherical melt 32b, and a crystal nucleus is generated.