Memory access time is a significant factor affecting the performance of computer systems. System performance can typically be enhanced by placing the memory on the same die or in the same package as the processor, and embedded dynamic random access memory (embedded DRAM, or eDRAM) is an example of such on-die or on-package memory technology. Because capacitors are the data storage element of eDRAM, the fabrication of eDRAM involves the manufacture of embedded capacitors—a process that includes subtractive metal patterning. Traditionally, subtractive metal patterning has been done with numerous processing operations including plasma etching. Plasma etches are highly anisotropic, making it very difficult to cleanly remove metal from a surface oriented orthogonally to the wafer surface and plasma field.