A non-volatile semiconductor memory device includes a gate stack formed on a substrate, semiconductor spacers, an oxide-nitride-oxide stack, and a contact pad. The semiconductor spacers are adjacent to sides of the gate stack and over the substrate. The oxide-nitride-oxide stack is located between the spacers and the gate stack, and located between the spacers and the substrate, such that the oxide-nitride-oxide stack has a generally L-shaped cross-section on at least one side of the gate stack. The contact pad is over and in electrical contact with the gate electrode and the semiconductor spacers. The contact pad may be further formed into recessed portions of the oxide-nitride-oxide stack between the gate electrode and the semiconductor spacers. The contact pad may include an epitaxial silicon having a metal silicide formed thereon.