Patent ID: 8896068

Claim:
A semiconductor device comprising: (A) source and drain regions and a channel forming region in a substrate; (B) a gate electrode above the channel forming region with a gate insulating film between the channel forming region and the gate electrode; (C) a silicide layer on the substrate over the source and drain regions; (D) a stress applying layer on the silicide layer; (E) a first interlayer insulating layer on the source and drain regions; (F) respective first contact portions in the first interlayer insulating layer and directly connected to the source and drain regions by extending through the stress applying layer and the silicide layer; (G) a second interlayer insulating layer on the gate electrode, the first interlayer insulating layer, and the first contact portions; (H) respective second contact portions in portions of the second interlayer insulating layer over the first contact portions so that each second contact portion extends to and contacts a respective first contact portion; (I) a third contact portion in the second interlayer insulating layer and directly connected to the gate electrode; and (J) respective wires on the second interlayer insulating layer and connected to the second contact portions and the third contact portion, wherein, the gate electrode, the first contact portions, and the first interlayer insulating layer have the same height to their top faces, each of the first contact portions has a groove shape and has a first dimension that is longer in a first direction than a second dimension in a second direction orthogonal to the first direction, in cross section, the source and drain regions are linearly separated in the second direction, each of the second contact portions has a hole shape and has substantially equal first and second dimensions in the first and second directions, respectively, and the second contact portions and the third contact portion are positioned such that, when viewed in a plan view, the second contact portions and the third contact portion are not aligned along a line that extends in the second direction.