Patent ID: 8872244

Claim:
A semiconductor structure comprising: a gate structure including a stack of a gate dielectric and a gate electrode and overlying a portion of a semiconductor material layer; a first dielectric material layer comprising a first dielectric material and overlying said semiconductor material layer; a second dielectric material layer comprising a second dielectric material that is different from said first dielectric material and overlying said first dielectric material layer and including a planar top surface; a gate cap dielectric material portion comprising at least a third dielectric material that is different from said first and second dielectric materials and overlying said gate structure and contacting sidewalls of said first dielectric material layer; and a contact via structure extending through said second and first dielectric material layers, providing electrical contact to an element in said semiconductor material layer, and contacting at least a sidewall of said gate cap dielectric material portion, wherein said gate cap dielectric material portion comprises: a third dielectric material portion comprising said third dielectric material and contacting said sidewalls of said first dielectric material layer; and a dielectric stack of a fourth dielectric material portion and a fifth dielectric material portion, wherein said dielectric stack is laterally surrounded by said third dielectric material portion.