Interface-less contacts to source/drain regions and gate electrode over active portion of device

A method of providing contact surfaces for gate electrodes and source and drain regions of a semiconductor device comprising:

• forming a hard mask having an opening to a perimeter of a gate electrode of a gate structure, the hard mask having a first protecting portion centrally positioned over the gate electrode within the perimeter, and a second protecting portion of the mask is positioned over metal semiconductor alloy surfaces of source and drain contact surfaces;
• recessing exposed portions of metal semiconductor alloy adjacent to the gate structure, the gate perimeter of the gate electrode, and a portion of the gate electrode adjacent to the metal semiconductor alloy surface as the source and drain contact surfaces with an etch, wherein the portion of the gate electrode protected by the first protecting portion of the hard mask provides the gate electrode contact surface;
• and
• filling the openings provided by recessing the gate perimeter of the gate electrode, recessing the metal semiconductor alloy adjacent to the gate structure, and the recessed gate electrode adjacent to the metal semiconductor alloy surface of the source and drain contact surfaces with a protecting dielectric material.