Using a liner layer to enlarge process window for a contact via

An integrated chip comprising:

• a substrate;
• a contact layer overlying the substrate;
• a gate electrode overlying the substrate and laterally spaced from the contact layer;
• a spacer structure surrounding outermost sidewalls of the contact layer and separating the gate electrode from the contact layer;
• a hard mask structure arranged over the contact layer and between portions of the spacer structure;
• a contact via extending through the hard mask structure and contacting the contact layer;
• and
• a liner layer arranged directly between the hard mask structure and the contact layer.

A method for forming an integrated chip comprising:

• forming a contact layer and a gate electrode over a substrate, wherein a spacer structure separates the contact layer from the gate electrode;
• forming a continuous liner layer over the contact layer, the spacer structure, and the gate electrode;
• depositing a hard mask material over the contact layer;
• removing upper portions of the hard mask material and upper portions of the continuous liner layer to form a hard mask structure separated from the contact layer by a liner layer;
• forming a first masking structure over the hard mask structure, the first masking structure comprising a first opening that directly overlies the contact layer;
• performing a first removal process to remove portions of the hard mask structure and the liner layer underlying the first opening to expose an upper surface of the contact layer;
• and
• forming a contact via over and directly contacting the upper surface of the contact layer.