Method for preventing dishing during the manufacture of semiconductor devices

A semiconductor device, comprising:

• a substrate having at least a first area with a plurality of metal gates and a second area adjacent to the first area;
• a patterned contact etch stop layer (CESL) formed in the first area and the second area;
• a patterned dielectric layer formed on the patterned CESL, wherein adjacent metal gates are separated by the patterned CESL and the patterned dielectric layer;
• and
• a pattern comprising patterned underlying nitrides being embedded in the patterned dielectric layer within the second area, wherein the pattern comprising the patterned underlying nitrides is a pattern comprising plural discrete nitride sections encapsulated by the patterned dielectric layer,
• wherein the pattern comprising the patterned underlying nitrides is separated from the patterned CESL by the patterned dielectric layer, and the patterned dielectric layer covers top surfaces, side surfaces and bottom surfaces of the patterned underlying nitrides.