A wafer carrier for use in a system for growing epitaxial layers on one or more wafers by chemical vapor deposition (CVD), the wafer carrier comprising: a body formed symmetrically about a central axis , and including a generally planar top surface that is perpendicular to the central axis ; a plurality of wafer retention pockets recessed in the body from the top surface, each of the wafer retention pockets including: a floor surface generally parallel to the top surface; and a peripheral wall surface surrounding the floor surface and defining a periphery of that wafer retention pocket, wherein each wafer retention pocket has a pocket center situated along a corresponding wafer carrier radial axis that is perpendicular to the central axis ; and for each wafer retention pocket , a first arc having a first radius of curvature is defined around a first arc center and a second arc having a second radius of curvature is defined around a second arc center, and the periphery corresponding to the wafer retention pocket is entirely defined by the portions of the first arc that are closer to the pocket center along any given radial line than the second arc and the portions of the second arc that are closer to the pocket center along any given radial line than the first arc , wherein the second arc is different from the first arc by at least one of: the first radius of curvature being different from the second radius of curvature; and the first arc center being different from the second arc center. a body formed symmetrically about a central axis , and including a generally planar top surface that is perpendicular to the central axis ; a plurality of wafer retention pockets recessed in the body from the top surface, each of the wafer retention pockets including: a floor surface generally parallel to the top surface; and a peripheral wall surface surrounding the floor surface and defining a periphery of that wafer retention pocket, a floor surface generally parallel to the top surface; and a peripheral wall surface surrounding the floor surface and defining a periphery of that wafer retention pocket, wherein each wafer retention pocket has a pocket center situated along a corresponding wafer carrier radial axis that is perpendicular to the central axis ; and for each wafer retention pocket , a first arc having a first radius of curvature is defined around a first arc center and a second arc having a second radius of curvature is defined around a second arc center, and the periphery corresponding to the wafer retention pocket is entirely defined by the portions of the first arc that are closer to the pocket center along any given radial line than the second arc and the portions of the second arc that are closer to the pocket center along any given radial line than the first arc , wherein the second arc is different from the first arc by at least one of: the first radius of curvature being different from the second radius of curvature; and the first arc center being different from the second arc center. the first radius of curvature being different from the second radius of curvature; and the first arc center being different from the second arc center. <EOS>