GaN single crystals were synthesized at 750-775degreesC and 5 MPa of N-2 for 200-300 h using Na-Ga melts with the mole fractions of Na/(Ga + Na) of 0.60-0.67 in the starting melt. When 99% pure Na was used, almost all the melt surface was covered with a GaN polycrystalline layer which prevented the single crystal growth. By using 99.95% Na, no polycrystalline layer formed and GaN single crystals of 0.8-1.0nim grew on the bottom of a sintered BN crLicible. A platelet single crystal having a size of 10 mm in the longest direction and 0.1 mm thick was obtained in a pyrolytic BN crucible using Na purified by distillation of the 99.95% Na. (C) 2002 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.