Controlling ion energy within a plasma chamber

A method comprising:

• generating a sinusoidal radio frequency (RF) signal for providing to a lower electrode of a plasma chamber;
• generating a nonsinusoidal RF signal;
• amplifying the nonsinusoidal RF signal to generate an amplified nonsinusoidal RF signal;
• filtering the amplified nonsinusoidal RF signal to generate a filtered nonsinusoidal RF signal having a first series of pulses and a second series of pulses, wherein the second series of pulses has a different amplification level than an amplification level of the first series of pulses;
• and
• providing the filtered nonsinusoidal RF signal to an upper electrode of the plasma chamber.

A method comprising:

• generating a first nonsinusoidal RF signal;
• amplifying the first nonsinusoidal RF signal to generate a first amplified nonsinusoidal RF signal;
• filtering the first amplified nonsinusoidal RF signal to generate a first filtered nonsinusoidal RF signal having a first series of pulses and a second series of pulses, wherein the second series of pulses has a different amplification level than an amplification level of the first series of pulses;
• providing the first filtered nonsinusoidal RF signal to a lower electrode of the plasma chamber;
• generating a second nonsinusoidal RF signal;
• amplifying the second nonsinusoidal RF signal to generate a second amplified nonsinusoidal RF signal;
• filtering the second amplified nonsinusoidal RF signal to generate a second filtered nonsinusoidal RF signal having a third series of pulses and a fourth series of pulses, wherein the fourth series of pulses has a different amplification level than an amplification level of the third series of pulses;
• and
• providing the second filtered nonsinusoidal RF signal to an upper electrode of the plasma chamber.