Patent attributes
Embodiments of the invention are directed to a method of fabricating a semiconductor device. A non-limiting example of the method includes performing fabrication operations to form a nanosheet field effect transistors (FET) device on a substrate. The fabrication operations include forming a first channel nanosheet, forming a second channel nanosheet over the first nanosheet, forming a first gate structure around the first channel nanosheet, and forming a second gate structure around the second channel nanosheet such that an air gap is between the first gate structure and the second gate structure. An etchant is applied to the first gate structure and the second gate structure such that the etchant enters the air gap and etches the first gate structure and the second gate structure from within the air gap.