A method for forming a semiconductor device such as a MOSFET. The method includes forming gate electrode pillars on a silicon substrate via material deposition and etching. Following the etching step to define the pillars, an epitaxial silicon film is grown on the substrate between the pillars prior to forming recesses in the substrate for the source/drain regions of the transistor. The epitaxial silicon film compensates for substrate material that may be lost during formation of the gate electrode pillars, thereby producing source/drain recesses having a configuration amenable to be filled uniformly with silicon for later forming the source/drain regions in the substrate.