A semiconductor device includes first and second vertical transport field-effect transistor (VTFET) devices. Each of the first and second VTFET devices includes a bottom epitaxial layer, a plurality of channel fins formed on the bottom epitaxial layer, a first interlayer dielectric (ILD) layer formed between the channel fins, a high-κ metal gate formed between the channel fins and the first ILD layer, a top epitaxial layer formed discretely on each of the channel fins, and a trench epitaxial layer formed continuously across the top epitaxial layer, a portion of the first ILD layer also being formed between the first and second VTFET device. The semiconductor device also includes a second ILD layer formed on the portion of the first ILD layer that is between the first and second VTFET devices, the second ILD layer separating the top epitaxial layers of the first and second VTFET devices.