To predict whether a slip occurs in a process during maintenance, and to cope with slippages during the maintenance, rather not through opening of furnace opening, after the maintenance.
A first susceptor 11 for calibration is used which includes a main thermocouple 13a, disposed at a position corresponding to a center position of a wafer in an epitaxial growth process and at least one auxiliary thermocouple 13b at a predetermined position in a radial direction, with the predetermined position being different from that of the main thermocouple 13a; and while the temperature in a reaction furnace 2 of an epitaxial growth apparatus 1 rises, temporal in-surface temperature distribution of the first susceptor 11 is measured with the main thermocouple 13a and auxiliary thermocouple 13b, and calibrate a pyrometer 9 by using the temperature data measured with the main thermocouple 13a, and to predict whether a slip occurs when an epitaxial layer is grown and formed on a surface of the wafer mounted on a second susceptor 15 for the epitaxial growth process, from the difference between the measured value of the main thermocouple 13a and the measured value of the auxiliary thermocouple.
OKADA HOTARU
Kiyoshi Kuruma
Takanashi Reiko