Provided is a nitride semiconductor having a larger low-defective region on a surface thereof, a semiconductor device using the nitride semiconductor, a method of manufacturing a nitride semiconductor capable of easily reducing surface defects in a step of forming a layer through lateral growth, and a method of manufacturing a semiconductor device manufactured by the use of the nitride semiconductor. A seed crystal portion is formed into stripes on a substrate with a buffer layer sandwiched therebetween. Then, a crystal is grown from the seed crystal portion in two steps of growth conditions to form a nitride semiconductor layer. In a first step, a low temperature growth portion having a trapezoidal-shaped cross section in a layer thickness direction is formed at a growth temperature of 1030° C., and in a second step, lateral growth predominantly takes place at a growth temperature of 1070° C. Then, a high temperature growth potion is formed between the low temperature growth portions. Thereby, hillocks and lattice defects can be reduced in a region of the surface of the nitride semiconductor layer above the low temperature growth portion.
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