Electrical-free dummy gate

A semiconductor device, comprising:

• an electrical-free dummy gate formed over a substrate, wherein the dummy gate has an elongate shape and is oriented along a first direction;
• a first functional gate formed over the substrate, wherein the first functional gate has an elongate shape and is oriented along the first direction, and wherein the first functional gate is separated from the dummy gate in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction;
• a first conductive contact formed on the first functional gate;
• a second functional gate formed over the substrate, wherein the second functional gate has an elongate shape and is oriented along the first direction, and wherein the second functional gate is aligned with the dummy gate and is physically separated from the dummy gate in the first direction;
• and
• a second conductive contact formed on the second functional gate.

A method of fabricating a semiconductor device, comprising:

• providing a substrate;
• forming a dummy gate over the substrate, wherein the dummy gate has an elongate shape and extends in a first direction;
• forming a first functional gate over the substrate, wherein the first functional gate has an elongate shape and extends in the first direction, and wherein the first functional gate is spaced apart from the dummy gate in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction, and wherein the first direction and the second direction are defined with respect to a top view of the semiconductor device;
• and
• forming a second functional gate over the substrate, wherein the second functional gate has an elongate shape and extends in the first direction, and wherein the second functional gate is aligned with the dummy gate and is spaced apart from the dummy gate in the first direction.