Variation resistant metal-oxide-semiconductor field effect transistors (MOSFET) are manufactured using a high-K, metal-gate ‘channel-last’ process. Between spacers formed over a well area having separate drain and source areas, a recess in the underlying is formed using a crystallographic etch to provide [111] boundaries adjacent the source and drain regions. An ion implant step localized by the cavity results in a localized increase in well-doping directly beneath the recess. Within the recess, an active region is formed using an un-doped or lightly doped epitaxial layer, deposited at a very low temperature. A high-K dielectric stack is formed over the lightly doped epitaxial layer, over which a metal gate is formed within the cavity boundaries.