Semiconductor wafers with an epitaxial layer are produced in a deposition chamber by placing a substrate wafer in the edge region of the rear side of the substrate wafer onto a placement area of a susceptor; loading the deposition chamber with the susceptor and the substrate wafer lying on the susceptor by contacting the susceptor and transporting the susceptor and the substrate wafer lying on the susceptor from a load lock chamber into the deposition chamber; depositing an epitaxial layer on the substrate wafer; and unloading the deposition chamber by contacting the susceptor and transporting the susceptor and a semiconductor wafer with epitaxial layer, the semiconductor wafer having been produced in the course of depositing the epitaxial layer and lying on the susceptor, from the deposition chamber into the load lock chamber.