Patent ID: 7625604

Claim:
A thermal processing method including thermal processing steps having: a step of holding a plurality of substrates by means of a substrate holder, a step of conveying the substrate holder into a reaction container, a step of heating a plurality of zones of thermal process atmosphere in the reaction container by means of a plurality of heating units, respectively, and a step of forming thin films on surfaces of the plurality of substrates by introducing a process gas into the reaction container, the thermal processing method comprising: a first thermal processing step of carrying out the thermal processing steps by using a plurality of first substrates as the plurality of substrates, wherein thin films are formed on surfaces of the plurality of first substrates by less consumption of the process gas per film thickness than on surfaces of production substrates; a first measuring step of measuring a thickness of the thin films formed on the surfaces of the plurality of first substrates for each of the plurality of zones of the thermal process atmosphere in the reaction container; a first setting step of setting respective temperature set values of the plurality of heating units in such a manner that the thickness measured for each of the plurality of zones substantially coincides with a target thickness of thin films to be formed on the surfaces of production substrates, based on measurement result of the first measuring step; a second thermal processing step of carrying out the thermal processing steps by using a plurality of second substrates, different from the plurality of first substrates, as the plurality of substrates, wherein thin films are formed on surfaces of the plurality of second substrates by more consumption of the process gas per film thickness than on the surfaces of the plurality of first substrates, and wherein the plurality of heating units are respectively adjusted to the respective temperature set values set by the first setting step; a second measuring step of measuring a thickness of the thin films formed on the surfaces of the plurality of second substrates for each of the plurality of zones of the thermal process atmosphere in the reaction container; a second correcting step of correcting the respective temperature set values of the plurality of heating units in such a manner that the thickness measured for each of the plurality of zones substantially coincides with the target thickness of thin films to be formed on the surfaces of production substrates, based on measurement result of the second measuring step; and a third thermal processing step of carrying out the thermal processing steps by using at least a plurality of production substrates as the plurality of substrates, wherein the plurality of heating units are respectively adjusted to the respective temperature set values corrected by the second correcting step.