Sector shunts for plasma-based wafer processing systems

A radio frequency plasma processing system including a reaction chamber, an electrode having an electrode symmetry axis, the electrode disposed in the reaction chamber, and a plurality of plates, each having an electrically conducting layer, disposed in the reaction chamber azimuthally with respect to the electrode symmetry axis around a perimeter of the electrode at a gap from the electrode surface, each of the plurality of plates connected to an electrical ground through a variable reactance circuit.