The sublimation-recombination crystal growth of bulk yttrium nitride crystals is reported. The YN source material was prepared by reacting yttrium metal with nitrogen at 1200 degrees C and 800 Torr total pressure. Crystals were produced by subliming this YN from the source zone, and recondensing it from the vapor as crystals at a lower temperature (by 50 degrees C). Crystals were grown from 2000 to 2100 degrees C and with a nitrogen pressure from 125 to 960 Torr. The highest rate was 9.64 x 10(-5) mol/h (9.92 mg/h). The YN sublimation rate activation energy was 467.1 +/- 21.7 kJ/mol. Individual crystals up to 200 mu m in dimension were prepared. X-ray diffraction confirmed that the crystals were rock salt YN, with a lattice constant of 4.88 angstrom. The YN crystals were unstable in air: they spontaneously converted to yttria (Y2O3) in 2-4 h. A small fraction of cubic yttria was detected in the XRD of a sample exposed to air for a limited time, while non-cubic yttria was detected in the Raman spectra for a sample exposed to air for more than 1 h. (C) 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.