An MONOS integrated circuit device. The device has a semiconductor substrate comprising a silicon bearing material and a shallow trench isolation region formed within the substrate. A P-type well region is formed within the substrate and adjacent to the shallow trench isolation region. The first word gate comprising a first edge and a second edge. The first word gate comprises a first control gate coupled to the first edge and a second control gate coupled to the second edge. Preferably, the second word gate comprises a first edge and a second edge. The second word gate comprises a first control gate coupled to the first edge and a second control gate coupled to the second edge. A common buried bit line is formed within the P-type well region and between the second edge of the first word gate and the first edge of the second word gate. An HDP plasma dielectric is formed overlying the common buried bitline to a height within a vicinity of a first surface of the first word gate and a second surface of the second word gate. In a preferred embodiment, the device has a planarized surface formed from a portion of the HDP plasma dielectric, the first surface, and the second surface. A word line is overlying the planarized surface. The word line is coupled to the first word gate and the second word gate and is overlying the HDP plasma dielectric. The device has a refractory metal layer formed overlying the word line, a hard mask layer overlying the refractory metal layer, and a cap layer formed overlying the hard mask layer. The word line, refractory metal layer, hard mask layer, and cap layer form a planarized structure.