Method for manufacturing workpieces with ion-etched surface

A method for manufacturing workpieces, at least a part of the surface of said workpieces being etched including etched by ion impact, comprising:

• providing a carousel base drivingly rotatable about a carousel axis;
• providing along the periphery of and on said carousel base at least two planetary carriers, each drivingly rotatable about a planetary axis parallel to said carousel axis;
• generating a cloud comprising ions and having, considered in a cross-sectional plane perpendicular to said carousel and said planetary axes, a center axis in a center of an area of maximum ion density;
• directing said center axis so as to intersect with said carousel axis, considered in said cross-sectional plane;
• applying at least one workpiece to be etched on each of said planetary carriers, each of said planetary carriers defining by rotating about its planetary axis for a diameter with respect to such planetary axis;
• said cloud comprising ions having an ion density dropping to 50% of maximum ion density of said beam at a distance from said center axis which is at most equal to 50% of said diameter, considered in said cross-sectional plane, and at the locus of moving path of said planetary axes;
• rotating said carousel base and said planetary carriers about said respective axes;
• etching the workpieces as moved into and through said cloud.