Angled directional ion beams are directed to sidewalls of a gate structure that straddles at least one semiconductor fin. The directions of the angled directional ion beams are contained within a vertical plane that is parallel to the sidewalls of the at least one semiconductor. A pair of gate spacers are formed on sidewalls of the gate structure by accumulation of the deposited dielectric material from the angled directional ion beams and without use of an anisotropic etch, while the sidewalls of the semiconductor fins parallel to the directional ion beams remain physically exposed. A selective epitaxy process can be performed to form raised active regions by growing a semiconductor material from the sidewalls of the semiconductor fins.