Synchronization with a bias supply in a plasma processing system

A plasma processing system comprising:

• a plasma chamber including one or more bias electrodes;
• a bias supply coupled to at least one of the bias electrodes and configured to apply an output waveform having a repetition period, T;
• a synchronization module configured to send a synchronization pulse with a synchronization-signal-repetition-period that is an integer multiple of T to at least one other piece of equipment connected to the plasma system;
• and
• a waveform communication module configured to communicate characteristics of the output waveform generated by the bias supply to the at least one other piece of equipment connected to the plasma system to enable the at least one other piece of equipment connected to the plasma system to adjust its output.

A plasma processing method comprising:

• generating and sustaining a plasma in a plasma chamber;
• producing a surface potential on a surface of a workpiece in the plasma chamber by applying, with a bias supply, an output waveform to a bias electrode within the plasma chamber, the output waveform having a repetition period, T;
• producing a waveform dataset to represent the output waveform of the bias supply during the repetition period, T;
• sending the waveform dataset to one or more other pieces of equipment connected to the plasma chamber;
• and
• sending a synchronization pulse with a synchronization-pulse-repetition-period to the one or more other pieces of equipment connected to the plasma chamber to enable synchronization among the one or more other pieces of equipment.