A method of forming a semiconductor structure includes; (i) forming an isolation structure in a semiconductor substrate, the isolation structure electrically isolating device regions of the semiconductor substrate; (ii) forming a gate structure extending from one of the device regions to the isolation structure; (iii) forming a resist protective oxide layer overlaying the gate structure and the isolation structure; and (iv) patterning the resist protective oxide layer to form a patterned resist protective oxide that covers at least a portion of the isolation structure and a portion of the gate structure on the isolation structure.