In general, in one aspect, a method includes forming a semiconductor substrate having N-diffusion and P-diffusion regions. A gate stack is formed over the semiconductor substrate. A gate electrode hard mask is formed over the gate stack. The gate electrode hard mask is augmented around pass gate transistors with a spacer material. The gate stack is etched using the augmented gate electrode hard mask to form the gate electrodes. The gate electrodes around the pass gate have a greater length than other gate electrodes.