Transistors comprising high-K metal gate electrode structures and embedded strain-inducing semiconductor alloys formed in a late stage

A semiconductor device comprising:

• an isolation structure laterally isolating an active region of said semiconductor device;
• a plurality of transistor elements positioned in and above said active region, each of said plurality of transistor elements comprising a gate electrode structure that comprises a high-k gate dielectric material and a metal-containing electrode material;
• and
• a plurality of material regions, each comprising:
• a lower strain-inducing portion that is embedded in one of a source region and a drain region of a respective one of said plurality of transistor elements, said lower strain-inducing portion comprising a first semiconductor material;
• and
• an upper contact portion that extends above said active region, said upper contact portion comprising a second semiconductor material and a metal silicide, wherein a height level of a top surface of said upper contact portion substantially corresponds to a height level of a top surface of said metal-containing electrode material.