Techniques for manipulating patterned features using ions

A method of processing a substrate, comprising:

• providing a cavity in the substrate, the cavity having a first dimension along a first direction within a substrate plane and a second dimension along a second direction within the substrate plane, the second direction being perpendicular to the first direction;
• depositing a layer comprising a layer material within the cavity;
• and
• directing ions in an ion exposure along the first direction, and at an angle of incidence toward the substrate, the angle of incidence forming a non-zero angle with respect to a perpendicular to the substrate plane,
• wherein the ion exposure reactively etches the layer material, wherein the ions impact a first sidewall of the cavity, along an entirety of the first sidewall, the first sidewall extending along the second direction,
• wherein the ions do not impact a second sidewall of the cavity, the second sidewall of the cavity extending along the first direction,
• and wherein the first dimension is selectively altered with respect to the second dimension.

A method of processing a substrate, comprising:

• providing a cavity in the substrate, the cavity disposed at a first cavity location within the substrate;
• depositing a layer comprising a layer material within the cavity;
• and
• directing ions in an ion exposure along a first direction and at an angle of incidence toward the substrate, the angle of incidence forming a non-zero angle with respect to a perpendicular to the substrate plane, the ion exposure reactively etching the layer material,
• wherein the ions impact a first sidewall of the cavity, along an entirety of the first sidewall, the first sidewall extending perpendicularly to the first direction,
• wherein the ions do not impact a second sidewall of the cavity, the second sidewall of the cavity extending along the first direction, and
• wherein the cavity is disposed at a second cavity location in the substrate after the ion exposure.