When a SiC substrate is heated up to around 1800.degree.C., sublimation of
SiC occurs from the SiC substrate. Moreover, temperature of the front
surface of the SiC substrate is lower than that of the back surface of
the SiC substrate. Therefore, sublimation gas sublimed from a
back-surface vicinity of the substrate, where temperature is high, moves
to a front-surface vicinity of the substrate, where temperature is low,
through the hollow micro-pipe defect. Epitaxial growth proceeds on the
front surface of the substrate while the sublimation gas is
recrystallized at the front-surface vicinity of the substrate, so that
the micro-pipe defect is occluded.