A semiconductor wafer, comprising: a semiconductor substrate having a first substrate surface and a second substrate surface; a plurality of first through substrate vias extending between the first and second substrate surfaces (212, 214), wherein the plurality of first through substrate vias includes a first subset of one or more trench vias each having a first primary axis aligned in a first direction, and a second subset of one or more trench vias each having a second primary axis aligned in a second direction that is different from the first direction, and the first and second primary axes (125, 127) are parallel to the first and second substrate surfaces (212, 214), wherein the plurality of first through substrate vias form an alignment pattern (120, 121, 122, 123, 620, 1400, 1500, 1600) in an alignment area of the substrate; a conductive layer directly connected to the second substrate surface and to first ends of the plurality of first conductive through substrate vias; a second through substrate via extending between the first and second substrate surfaces (212, 214) in a device area (160, 660) of the substrate, wherein the conductive layer is patterned so that a first portion of the conductive layer is directly coupled to the plurality of first through substrate vias, and a second portion of the conductive layer is directly coupled to the second through substrate via, and wherein a conductive material void (380, 382) is present, at the second substrate surface, in the conductive layer, wherein the conductive material void (380, 382) is a portion of the second substrate surface, to which no conductive material is coupled; a transistor (152, 153) formed at the first substrate surface, wherein the transistor (152, 153) includes a control terminal, a first current carrying terminal, and a second current carrying terminal, and wherein the second through substrate via is electrically coupled to the first current carrying terminal of the transistor (152, 153); and characterized by an inductor (316, 383) formed at the first substrate surface, and electrically coupled to a terminal selected from the control terminal and the second current carrying terminal, wherein the inductor (316, 383) is aligned with the conductive material void (380, 382). a semiconductor substrate having a first substrate surface and a second substrate surface; a plurality of first through substrate vias extending between the first and second substrate surfaces (212, 214), wherein the plurality of first through substrate vias includes a first subset of one or more trench vias each having a first primary axis aligned in a first direction, and a second subset of one or more trench vias each having a second primary axis aligned in a second direction that is different from the first direction, and the first and second primary axes (125, 127) are parallel to the first and second substrate surfaces (212, 214), wherein the plurality of first through substrate vias form an alignment pattern (120, 121, 122, 123, 620, 1400, 1500, 1600) in an alignment area of the substrate; a conductive layer directly connected to the second substrate surface and to first ends of the plurality of first conductive through substrate vias; a second through substrate via extending between the first and second substrate surfaces (212, 214) in a device area (160, 660) of the substrate, wherein the conductive layer is patterned so that a first portion of the conductive layer is directly coupled to the plurality of first through substrate vias, and a second portion of the conductive layer is directly coupled to the second through substrate via, and wherein a conductive material void (380, 382) is present, at the second substrate surface, in the conductive layer, wherein the conductive material void (380, 382) is a portion of the second substrate surface, to which no conductive material is coupled; a transistor (152, 153) formed at the first substrate surface, wherein the transistor (152, 153) includes a control terminal, a first current carrying terminal, and a second current carrying terminal, and wherein the second through substrate via is electrically coupled to the first current carrying terminal of the transistor (152, 153); and characterized by an inductor (316, 383) formed at the first substrate surface, and electrically coupled to a terminal selected from the control terminal and the second current carrying terminal, wherein the inductor (316, 383) is aligned with the conductive material void (380, 382).