A method is provided of forming a bipolar transistor device. The method comprises depositing a collector dielectric layer over a substrate in a collector active region, depositing a dielectric anti-reflective (DARC) layer over the collector dielectric layer, dry etching away a base opening in the DARC layer, and wet etching away a portion of the collector dielectric layer in the base opening to provide an extended base opening to the substrate. The method further comprises performing a base deposition to form a base epitaxy region in the extended base opening and extending over first and second portions of the DARC layer that remains as a result of the dry etching away the base opening in the DARC layer, and forming an emitter region over the base epitaxy region.