Abstract: Materials and techniques for recessing heterogenous materials in integrated circuit (IC) dies. A first etch may reveal a surface at a desired depth, and a second etch may remove material laterally to reveal sidewalls down to the desired depth of the recess. The first etch may be a cyclical etch, and the second etch may be a continuous etch. The first and second etches may occur in a same chamber. The first and second etches may each be selective to materials with similarities. An IC die may have different, substantially coplanar materials at a recessed surface between and below sidewalls of another material. The recess may have squared profile. The recess may be over transistor structures.