Importance

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Abstract

The present invention is a method suitable for heat treatment, or a heat treatment method for growing single crystal silicon carbide by a liquid phase epitaxial method, wherein a monocrystal silicon carbide substrate as a seed crystal and a polycrystal silicon carbide substrate are piled up, placed inside a closed container, and subjected to high-temperature heat treatment, by which very thin metallic silicon melt layer is interposed between the monocrystal silicon carbide substrate and the polycrystal silicon carbide substrate during heat treatment, and single crystal silicon carbide is liquid-phase epitaxially grown on the monocrystal silicon carbide substrate. The closed container is in advance heated to a temperature exceeding approximately 800.degree. C. in an preheating chamber kept at a pressure of approximately 10.sup.-5 Pa or lower, the closed container is reduced in pressure to approximately 10.sup.-5 Pa or lower, and the container is transported and placed in the heat chamber, which is in advance heated to a prescribed temperature in a range from approximately 1400.degree. C. to 2300.degree. C., in a vacuum at a pressure of approximately 10.sup.-2 Pa or lower or in an inert gas atmosphere at a prescribed reduced pressure, by which the monocrystal silicon carbide substrate and the polycrystal silicon carbide substrate are heated in a short time to a prescribed temperature in a range from approximately 1400.degree. C. to 2300.degree. C. to produce single crystal silicon carbide which is free of fine grain boundaries and approximately 1/cm.sup.2 or lower in density of micropipe defects on the surface. Further, the present invention is heat treatment equipment used in carrying out the heat treatment method.

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First Claim