Silicide process using high K-dielectrics

A semiconductor comprising a gate electrode on a surface of a semiconductor substrate between two active regions, the gate electrode having sidewalls and comprising a layer of high-K dielectric on the surface of the semiconductor substrate and a polysilicon layer on said high-K dielectric, spacers on the sidewalls of said gate electrode, and a nickel silicide layer on said active regions and on said polysilicon layer, wherein the high-K dielectric is Ta2O5.