PURPOSE: To form crystals such as a single crystal in required size, a plurality of insular single crystals, a polycrystal, particle size and particle size distribution of which are controlled, etc. by shaping a nucleation surface so that nucleation density thereof is made sufficiently larger than that of a non-nucleation surface and only a single nucleus is grown selectively.

CONSTITUTION: A thin-film 5 enabling selective nucleation and having small nucleation density is formed onto a substrate 4 consisting of a material resisting a high temperature, and a nucleation surface 6 patterned onto the thin-film 5 and composed of materials of a different kind is shaped sufficiently minutely. The single nucleus of a thin-film material is formed only onto the nucleation surface 6 by selecting the proper conditions of deposition. The nucleus is grown while keeping single crystal structure, and changed into an insular single crystal grain 7. The insular single crystal grain 7 is further grown centering around the nucleation surface 6 while maintaining single crystal structure, and turned into a single crystal 7A covering one part or the whole of the thin-film 5. The surface of the single crystal 7A is flattened through etching or polishing as required, thus forming a single crystal layer 8 capable of shaping a desired element onto the thin-film 5.