Contacts are typically vertical metal interconnect structures formed in an integrated circuit that connect various components (e.g., the active regions and gate electrodes) of a semiconductor device to a metal layer of interconnect. Individual semiconductor devices formed in a semiconductor substrate are electrically coupled to each other through contacts in order to form functional integrated circuits. As the semiconductor industry has progressed into nanometer technology process nodes, such as 5 nm nodes, in pursuit of higher device density, new challenges are presented. Therefore, there is a need for improved contact structures and methods.