Patent ID: 7871914

Claim:
A method of forming a semiconductor device, comprising: forming an insulation layer on a substrate; forming a sacrificial layer on the insulation layer; forming an opening through the sacrificial layer and the insulation layer to expose an active region of the substrate; removing a portion of the active region to form a recess therein that has a greater width than the opening through the sacrificial layer and the insulation layer; forming a gate insulator in the recess; forming a gate electrode extending through the sacrificial layer and the insulation layer and into the recess, the gate electrode comprising a first portion on the gate insulator in the recess and a second reduced-width portion extending from the first portion; removing the sacrificial layer to expose a sidewall of the gate electrode outside of the recess; forming an insulating spacer on the exposed sidewall of the gate electrode; and forming a source/drain region in the substrate adjacent the recess.