Free standing AIN wafers were grown on pre-patterned and in situ patterned 4H-SiC substrates by a physical vapor transport method. It is based on the coalescence of AIN microrods, which evolve from the apex of SiC pyramids grown on the SIC substrate during a temperature ramp up for in situ patterned substrate and SiC pyramids formed by reactive ion etching (RIE). This process yields stress-free (according XRD and Raman results) AIN single crystals with a thickness up to 400 mu m and low dislocation density.