Abstract: When incorporating a strain-inducing semiconductor alloy in one type of sophisticated transistors, the removal of sacrificial cap materials, such as a spacer layer, sacrificial spacer elements and dielectric cap materials, may be accomplished by using, at least in a first phase of the removal process, an efficient etch stop liner material, which may thus reduce the material loss in the drain and source extension regions that are formed prior to the deposition of the strain-inducing semiconductor material. Moreover, the drain and source extension regions of the other type of transistor may be formed with superior process uniformity due to a reduced material erosion of the corresponding spacer elements.