Patent ID: 8524555

Claim:
A semiconductor method comprising: providing a susceptor in a deposition chamber, the susceptor comprising: a susceptor plate extending across the deposition chamber and having a support surface and a backside surface opposite the support surface; and a layer comprising an oxide, a nitride, an oxynitride, or combinations thereof covering an area consisting of only a portion of the backside surface of the susceptor plate, wherein the layer has a radius less than a radius of the susceptor plate such that a portion of the backside surface of the susceptor plate is free of the layer, the layer being stable in the presence of reactive process gases; locating a semiconductor wafer on the support surface of the susceptor plate; depositing material on a surface of the semiconductor wafer, the material formed from the reactive process gases; and inhibiting deposition of material on the layer, wherein the deposition chamber comprises an inlet for reactive process gases to form deposited material within the chamber and an infrared temperature sensor facing the backside of the susceptor to provide a viewing area for the temperature sensor.