On a substrate surface, which has been patterned in the form of a relief, of a substrate, typically of a semiconductor wafer, a deposition process is used to provide a covering layer on process surfaces which are vertical or inclined with respect to the substrate surface. The covering layer is patterned in a direction which is vertical with respect to the substrate surface by limiting a process quantity of at least one precursor material and/or by temporarily limiting the deposition process, and is formed as a functional layer or mask for subsequent process steps.