A method is provided for reducing the metal content and controlling the metal depth profile of a gate dielectric layer in a gate stack. The method includes providing a substrate in a process chamber, depositing a gate dielectric layer on the substrate, where the gate dielectric layer includes a metal element. The metal element is selectively etched from at least a portion of the gate dielectric layer to form an etched gate dielectric layer with reduced metal content, and a gate electrode layer is formed on the etched gate dielectric layer.