A method to further adjust the final CD of a material to be etched during an etching process, and after a photolithographic patterning process can include patterning a semiconductor substrate using a mask layer. The mask layer can comprise a hardmask material having a protruding feature with an initial width. A first plasma comprising carbon and fluorine can be introduced into a chamber, where residual carbon and fluorine is deposited on at least the chamber wall. A portion of the mask layer can then be removed with a second plasma incorporating the residual carbon and fluorine, whereby remaining hardmask material forms a feature pattern where the protruding feature has a final width different from the initial width. The feature pattern can then be transferred to the semiconductor substrate using the final width of the at least one protruding feature provided by the remaining hardmask material.