Patent ID: 8357576

Claim:
A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device, the method comprising: providing a semiconductor substrate; forming a gate pattern on the semiconductor substrate such that the gate pattern includes a gate dielectric layer and a sacrificial gate electrode; forming an etch stop layer and a dielectric layer on the semiconductor substrate and the gate pattern; removing portions of the dielectric layer to expose the etch stop layer; performing an etch-back process on the etch stop layer to expose the sacrificial gate electrode; removing the sacrificial gate electrode to form a trench; forming a metal layer on the semiconductor substrate including the trench, such that a lower portion of the metal layer is below an upper surface of the dielectric layer; removing portions of the metal layer to expose the dielectric layer; and performing an etch-back process on the metal layer to a predetermined target, such that the lower portion of the metal layer is at least partially removed, wherein an upper surface of the lower portion of the metal layer is wider than a bottom surface of the lower portion of the metal layer.