Deposition Apparatus and Methods Using Staggered Pumping Locations

A method of processing a substrate, the method comprising:

• exposing a substrate to a first reactant within a first processing region and a second reactant within a second processing region of a processing chamber, wherein
• the first processing region having a first height defined by a front face of a first gas distribution plate and a top surface of a substrate support, the first processing region having a first vacuum channel with a first outer diameter,
• the second processing region having a second height defined by a front face of a second gas distribution plate and the top surface of the substrate support, the second processing region having a second vacuum channel with a second outer diameter, and
• one of the first outer diameter of the first vacuum channel or second outer diameter of the second vacuum channel is greater than the other of the first vacuum channel or second vacuum channel.

A processing chamber comprising:

• a substrate support with a top surface configured to support a wafer during processing and move the wafer between a plurality of processing regions;
• a first processing region comprising a first distribution plate having a first front face opposite the top surface of the substrate support, the first distribution plate bounded by a first vacuum channel on the first front face having a first outer diameter;
• and
• a second processing region comprising a second gas distribution plate having a second front face opposite the top surface of the substrate support, the second gas distribution plate bounded by a second vacuum channel on the second front face, the second vacuum channel having a second outer diameter which is greater than the first outer diameter.