TECHNOLOGY FOCUS - POLYMERS - Preferred Optically Transparent Super-Hydrophobic Material: The polymeric layer comprises a polycarbonate or its blend. The portion of the first surface comprises a functional coating, and where the functional coating retains its functional properties after the plasma-treatment. The fluorine containing compound is an organofluorine. The portion of the first surface has been plasma treated with a first plasma comprising oxygen followed by a second plasma comprising the fluorine containing compound. The nano-structures have a width of 10-100 nm or where the spacing between two adjacent nano-structures is 10-100 nm or both. The spacing between two adjacent nano-structures is greater than the width of a single nano-structure. The polymeric layer comprises a polyethylene terephthalate, a polyolefin, a polystyrene, a polymethylmethacrylate, a polyacrylonitrile, a poly(vinylacctate), a poly(vinyl alcohol), a chlorine-containing polymer, a polyoxymethylene, a polyamide, a polyimide, a polyurethane, an amino-epoxy resin, or a polyester, or their combination or blend. The material is disposed on a substrate or comprised in an article of manufacture. The material is disposed on an article of manufacture. The material is in the form of a film. The treated surface has a wafer rolling angle of not less than 10 degrees or a hysteresis angle of not less than 10 degrees or both. The material is thermally stable when exposed to 60 degrees C for 10 minutes. The material is dimensionally stable up to 80 degrees C. Covalent bonds are formed between the nano-or micro-structures and individual fluorine containing compounds. The polymeric layer does not include an inorganic compound. The portion of the first surface that has been plasma-treated does not include a component that is not etchible via plasma-treatment with oxygen. Preferred Method: In the method of preparing the optically transparent super-hydrophobic material, steps (b) and (c) are performed in a continuous process such that the oxygen from step (b) is switched to the fluorine containing compound from step (c) without stopping the process. The polymeric layer comprises a polycarbonate or its blend. The portion of the first surface in step (b) comprises a functional coating, and where the functional coating retains its abrasion resistant properties after steps (b) and (c). Steps (b) and (c) are dry plasma etching processes. The plasma from step (b) comprises pure oxygen gas (O2) and the plasma from step (c) comprises tetrafluorobutatriene (C4F8). Step (b) is performed for 1-25 minutes and where step (c) is performed for 1-25 minutes. The plasma is generated by a glow discharge, corona discharge, Arc discharge, Townsend discharge, dielectric barrier discharge, hollow-cathode discharge, radio-frequency (RF) discharge, microwave discharge, or electron beams. The plasma is generated by a RF discharge having a RF power of 50-950 W or 100 W. The steps (b) and (c) are each performed at 40-50 degrees C, at a pressure of 10-100 mTorr, and plasma gas flow rates of 90-100 sccm. A target water contact angle is obtained by tuning or modifying any one of the following processing conditions: plasma treatment times, amount of power used, type of plasma used, temperature of the plasmas, and/or fluorine containing compound used. The nano-or micro-structure is obtained by tuning or modifying any one of the following processing conditions: plasma treatment times, amount of power used, type of plasma used, temperature of the plasmas; and/or fluorine containing compound used. In the method of protecting a substrate or article of manufacture from soiling, the article of manufacture is a photovoltaic cell or a solar panel. The article of manufacture is a window, eyewear, a surface of a building, a traffic sign, a skylight, or a surface of an automobile or a motorcycle. The substrate is a plastic, a glass, a wood, a paper, a ceramic, a metal, or their mixture. In the method of maintaining or increasing the efficiency of a photovoltaic cell or protecting the outermost surface of a photovoltaic cell from soiling, the photovoltaic cell is a solar cell.