Techniques are described to form a liner to protect a material, such as a storage element material, from damage during subsequent operations or phases of a manufacturing process. The liner may be bonded to the material (e.g., a chalcogenide material) using a strong bond or a weak bond. In some cases, a sealant material may be deposited during an etching phase of the manufacturing process to prevent subsequent etching operations from damaging a material that has just been etched.