A method is disclosed for producing large single crystals. According to the initial steps of this method, a plurality of single crystal wafers are crystallographically oriented to form a seed plate which is patterned. The patterned seed plate is selectively etched to expose the bare surface of the seed plate. The exposed, patterned bare surface of the seed plate is etched to form a plurality of nucleation structures. Each of the nucleation structures protrude outwardly from the underlying surface of the seed plate and provide ideal structures for the growth of large, single crystals. The resulting large, single crystals can be separated from the seed crystals by etching, physical or chemical means.