A bottle shaped trench for an SOI capacitor is formed by a simple processing sequence. A non-conformal dielectric layer with an optional conformal dielectric diffusion barrier layer underneath is formed on sidewalls of a deep trench. Employing an isotropic etch, the non-conformal dielectric layer is removed from a bottom portion of the deep trench, leaving a dielectric spacer covering sidewalls of the buried insulator layer and the top semiconductor layer. The bottom portion of the deep trench is expanded to form a bottle shaped trench, and a buried plated is formed underneath the buried insulator layer. The dielectric spacer may be recessed during formation of a buried strap to form a graded thickness dielectric collar around the upper portion of an inner electrode. Alternately, the dielectric spacer may be removed prior to formation of a buried strap.