Patent ID: 8801857

Claim:
A self-centering susceptor ring assembly comprising: a susceptor ring support member comprising an opening and at least three pins extending from said susceptor ring support member; and a susceptor ring supportable upon said susceptor ring support member, said susceptor ring including: a generally rectangular outer perimeter including a leading edge and a trailing edge; at least three detents formed into a bottom surface of said susceptor ring; and an aperture having a center point, wherein each of said detents receives one of said at least three pins, wherein said aperture is configured such that said susceptor ring can surround a susceptor and said aperture is positioned asymmetrically such that said center point of said aperture is positioned closer to said leading edge than said trailing edge; wherein each of said three detents comprises an elongated slot extending radially with respect to said center point of said aperture and wherein said detents are evenly spaced about said aperture; wherein thermal expansion and contraction of said susceptor ring and said susceptor ring support member causes said pins to slide within said evenly spaced detents such that an edge forming said aperture remains centered about said center point of said aperture during thermal expansion and contraction of said susceptor ring.