NOVELTY - A thin film precursor (13) is deposited on a substrate (11), and is made to contact with a single-crystal portion (22) of a template (20) through a mask pattern by heating the template and precursor at a temperature higher than glass transition temperature of substrate. A crystal is grown in a contact portion of precursor with respect to single-crystal portion. The template is peeled off from the thin film precursor. The thin film precursor is formed of a crystal structure of copper oxide type, zinc oxide type, perovskite type, rock-salt type and corundum type.    USE - Thin film formation method for forming single-crystal thin film e.g. plastic film on plate-shaped substrate e.g. glass substrate (both claimed) such as non-alkali glass substrate, soda-lime glass substrate, borosilicate glass substrate, and plastic substrate for use in manufacture of device (both claimed) e.g. zinc-oxide type white LED, semiconductor laser and flexible device, and for use in manufacture of copper oxide type high-temperature superconductivity wire and wire of transparent electrically conductive circuit. Can also be used in formation of antistatic film and anti-reflective film for manufacture of transparent electrode of flat panel display, solar cell, touch panel, illuminating device, surface emission-type laser, display panel of dye-sensitized solar cell, organic electroluminescent panel and communication apparatus, and for use in formation of transparent conductive film during manufacture of color filter of LCD, electro luminescence display, optical filter of plasma display, resistance film-type touch panel for mobile information terminal, electromagnetic induction type touch panel, ultrasonic-type touch panel, optical touch panel, electrostatic capacitance type touch panel, amorphous-silicon type solar cell, copper indium gallium selenide (CIGS) solar cell and microcrystal silicon thin film solar cell.    ADVANTAGE - A single-crystal thin film can be formed at low cost without using the monocrystal substrate and complicated apparatus for crystal growth, and the thin film precursor can be grown reliably. The growth of nucleus of thin film precursor is suppressed, and the crystallinity of thin film precursor is improved. A low-cost good-quality device can be manufactured.    DETAILED DESCRIPTION - The atoms of thin film precursor and single-crystal portion of template are contacted during the contact of precursor and single-crystal portion. The lattice constant of the single-crystal portion of template is a value approximated with lattice constant of thin film precursor. The thin film precursor is heated at a temperature higher than the crystal growth temperature of precursor, and lower than the crystal-nucleation temperature of precursor. The crystal growth is advanced from template side of precursor to substrate side.    An INDEPENDENT CLAIM is included for manufacturing method of device, which involves forming thin film on the substrate.    DESCRIPTION OF DRAWING(S) - The drawing shows a sectional view of the template used for formation of thin film.    Substrate (11)    Thin film precursor (13)    Template (20)    Base material (21)    Single-crystal portion (22)