One aspect of the invention provides a semiconductor device that includes gate electrodes comprising a metal or metal alloy located over a semiconductor substrate, wherein the gate electrodes are free of spacer sidewalls. The device further includes source/drains having source/drain extensions associated therewith, located in the semiconductor substrate and adjacent each of the gate electrodes. A first pre-metal dielectric layer is located on the sidewalls of the gate electrodes and over the source/drains, and a second pre-metal dielectric layer is located on the first pre-metal dielectric layer. Contact plugs extend through the first and second pre-metal dielectric layers.