Spatial monitoring and control of plasma processing environments

A non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising instructions stored thereon, for at least one of execution by a processor or for configuring a field programmable gate array, to perform plasma processing, the instructions comprising instructions to:

• maintain a plasma in a plasma processing chamber by controlling current in n secondary inductors, wherein n is greater than or equal to one and the current in the n secondary inductors results from mutual inductance through the plasma with the primary inductor;
• apply an asymmetric periodic voltage waveform to the plasma processing chamber with a bias supply;
• and
• adjust at least one of:
• current though one or more of the n secondary inductors;
• or
• one or more characteristics of the asymmetric periodic voltage waveform to alter a spatial distribution of the plasma.

A system for controlling a plasma in a processing chamber, the system comprising:

• a source generator;
• a primary inductor coupled to the source generator to excite the plasma when power is actively applied by the source generator to the primary inductor;
• n secondary inductors positioned relative to the primary inductor so that current that passes through the n secondary inductors results from mutual inductance through the plasma with the primary inductor, wherein n is greater than or equal to one;
• a terminating element coupled to each of the n secondary inductors to form n terminating elements, the terminating element affecting the current through a corresponding secondary inductor to affect the spatial distribution of the plasma;
• at least one electrical plane arranged within the plasma processing chamber to control a plasma sheath proximate to the at least one electrical plane;
• at least one bias supply coupled to the at least one electrical plane;
• and
• at least one controller coupled to the at least one bias supply to apply an asymmetric periodic voltage waveform to the at least one electrical plane to control the plasma sheath proximate to the electrical plane.