Minimize middle-of-line contact line shorts

A semiconductor structure comprising:

• a semiconductor substrate;
• a dielectric layer on the substrate;
• a plurality of gates located within the dielectric layer, above the substrate, the plurality of gates including a first gate and a pair of adjacent gates on sides of the first gate, each of the gates including a gate electrode, and each of the adjacent gates including a gate cap;
• a pair of conductive metal trenches formed in the dielectric layer, on the sides of the center gate, between the center gate and the adjacent gates;
• a contact positioned over the gate electrode of the first gate and one of the conductive trenches and electrically connected to said one of the conductive metal trenches;
• and
• an insulating layer laterally extending outward from the contact and extending over a portion of the first gate and a second of the conductive metal trenches to separate electrically the contact from said second of the conductive metal trenches.

A method of fabricating a semiconductor structure comprising a semiconductor substrate, a dielectric layer on the substrate, and a plurality of gates located within the dielectric layer, above the substrate, the plurality of gates including a first gate and a pair of adjacent gates on sides of the first gate, and each of the gates including a gate electrode, the method comprising:

• recessing the gate electrodes of the pair of adjacent gates;
• forming gate caps on the pair of adjacent gates;
• forming gate caps on the pair of adjacent gates;
• forming conductive metal trenches in the dielectric layer and on the sides of the first gate, between the first gate and the adjacent gates, each of the metal trenches being spaced from and electrically separated from the first gate;
• and
• after forming the conductive metal trenches, forming a contact above the first gate and laterally extending from above the first gate, to and directly on a top of one of the conductive trenches to connect the contact electrically with said one of the conductive metal trenches, including
• depositing a conductive material above the first gate and above and on the conductive metal trenches,
• etching away a portion of the conductive material from above a second of the conductive metal trenches to separate electrically the contact from the second of the conductive metal trenches,
• etching another portion of the conductive material away from above a portion of the first gate to separate electrically the first gate from said second of the conductive metal trenches, and
• forming an insulating layer over said second of the conductive metal trenches to keep the contact and said one of the conductive metal trenches electrically separated from said second of the conductive metal trenches.