A multi-component solvent has been developed to dissolve solid gallium nitride (GaN) source material and grow single GaN crystals from the solution on GaN seeds. A thermal gradient is used to maintain GaN dissolution at the hot end of the Crucible and to grow GaN Crystals on a seed at the colder end. Crystals were,town at nitrogen pressure of 0.23-0.25 MPa and temperature of 800 degrees C. Optical microscopy, X-ray diffraction, micro Raman scattering and photoluminescence spectroscopy confirmed the high Structural and optical quality of the GaN crystals. (c) 2008 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.