Susceptor design to eliminate deposition valleys in the wafer

A susceptor, comprising:

• a rim;
• an inner region coupled to and surrounded by the rim, the inner region including an axis of symmetry and a surface profile, the surface profile extending from the axis of symmetry at a continuously inclined angle to the rim;
• and
• one or more annular protrusions formed on the inner region and radially spaced from the rim, at least one of the one or more annular protrusions including a convex inner radius portion having a distance from the axis of symmetry that ranges from about 35 mm to about 45 mm or from about 110 mm to about 130 mm, wherein each annular protrusion comprises:
• the convex inner radius portion;
• a convex outer radius portion extending radially outward from the convex inner radius portion;
• and
• a linear portion connecting the convex inner radius portion to the convex outer radius portion,
• wherein the linear portion includes a first thickness adjacent the convex inner radius portion and a second thickness adjacent the convex outer radius portion, and the first thickness is different from the second thickness,
• wherein the convex inner radius portion and the convex outer radius portion each includes a curved surface having an arc that ends tangential to the linear portion, and
• wherein the linear portion includes a linear surface having a linear cross-sectional profile.

A process chamber, comprising:

• a first dome;
• a second dome;
• a base ring disposed between the first dome and the second dome, wherein an internal region is defined by the first dome, the second dome, and the base ring;
• and
• a susceptor disposed in the internal region, wherein the susceptor comprises:
• a rim;
• an inner region coupled to and surrounded by the rim, the inner region including an axis of symmetry and a surface profile, the surface profile extending from the axis of symmetry at a continuously inclined angle to the rim;
• and
• one or more annular protrusions formed on the inner region and radially spaced from the rim,
• wherein each of the one or more annular protrusions includes a convex inner radius portion, a convex outer radius portion extending radially outward from the convex inner radius portion, and a linear portion between the convex inner radius portion and the convex outer radius portion, and
• wherein the convex inner radius portion and the convex outer radius portion each includes a curved surface having an arc that ends tangential to the linear portion,
• wherein the linear portion includes a first thickness adjacent the convex inner radius portion and a second thickness adjacent the convex outer radius portion, and the first thickness is different from the second thickness, and
• wherein at least one of the one or more annular protrusions includes the convex inner radius portion having a distance from the axis of symmetry that ranges from about 35 mm to about 45 mm or from about 110 mm to about 130 mm.