Workpiece patterning with plasma sheath modulation

摘要

Methods to texture or fabricate workpieces are disclosed. The workpiece may be, for example, a solar cell. This texturing may involve etching or localized sputtering using a plasma where a shape of a boundary between the plasma and the plasma sheath is modified with an insulating modifier. The workpiece may be rotated in between etching or sputtering steps to form pyramids. Regions of the workpiece also may be etched or sputtered with ions formed from a plasma adjusted by an insulating modifier and doped. A metal layer may be formed on these doped regions.