The present disclosure relates to an integrated circuit (IC) that includes a boundary region defined between a low voltage region, and a method of formation. In some embodiments, the integrated circuit comprises a first gate boundary dielectric layer disposed over a substrate in the low voltage region. A second gate boundary dielectric layer is disposed over the substrate in the high voltage region having a thickness greater than that of the first boundary dielectric layer. The first boundary dielectric layer meets the second boundary dielectric layer at the boundary region. A first polysilicon component is disposed within the boundary region over the first boundary dielectric layer and the second gate boundary layer. A second polysilicon component is disposed within the boundary region over the first polysilicon component. A hard mask component is disposed over the first polysilicon component and laterally neighbored to the second polysilicon component.