Method of forming a gated diode structure for eliminating RIE damage from cap removal

A method of fabricating a semiconductor structure provided with a plurality of gated-diodes having a silicided anode (p-doped region) and cathode (n-doped region) and a high-K gate stack made of non-silicided gate material, the gated-diodes being adjacent to FETs, each of which having a silicided source, a silicided drain and a silicided HiK gate stack. The semiconductor structure eliminates a cap removal RIE in a gate first High-K metal gate flow from the region of the gated-diode. The lack of silicide and the presence of a nitride barrier on the gate of the diode are preferably made during the gate first process flow. The absence of the cap removal RIE is beneficial in that diffusions of the diode are not subjected to the cap removal RIE, which avoids damage and allows retaining its highly ideal junction characteristics.