A semiconductor structure. The structure includes (a) a semiconductor layer including a channel region disposed between first and second S/D regions; (b) a gate dielectric region on the channel region; (c) a gate region on the gate dielectric region and electrically insulated from the channel region by the gate dielectric region; (d) a protection umbrella region on the gate region, wherein the protection umbrella region comprises a first dielectric material, and wherein the gate region is completely in a shadow of the protection umbrella region; and (e) a filled contact hole (i) directly above and electrically connected to the second S/D region and (ii) aligned with an edge of the protection umbrella region, wherein the contact hole is physically isolated from the gate region by an inter-level dielectric (ILD) layer which comprises a second dielectric material different from the first dielectric material.