A method for fabricating a semiconductor device for use in harsh media, the method comprising: - providing a semiconductor die comprising a metal contact region ; - covering said semiconductor die by at least one passivation layer and patterning the at least one passivation layer such as to form an opening to expose the metal contact region of the semiconductor die ; - forming a contact layer (428;128) comprising a refractory metal on said exposed metal contact region , in which said contact layer comprises at least an adhesion layer and at least a diffusion barrier layer; - patterning said contact layer such as to define a continuous part of the contact layer over the exposed metal contact region by exposing the at least one passivation layer around the entire edge of the continuous part, in which said continuous part of said contact layer overlaps and completely covers said opening in the at least one passivation layer ; and - providing a noble metal layer over said contact layer (428;128) such as to completely cover said continuous part of the contact layer, wherein said noble metal layer furthermore extends over said edge of said continuous part of the contact layer such as to adhere to said exposed at least one passivation layer around the edge of the continuous part , characterized in that : said providing of said noble metal layer comprises sputtering said noble metal on said continuous part of the contact layer and on the exposed at least one passivation layer around the edge of the continuous part such as to establish a mechanical connection by atomic bonding between the sputtered noble metal and the contact layer (428;128) and between the sputtered noble metal and the at least one passivation layer, and sputtering said noble metal comprises sputtering a noble metal seed layer for electroplating on said continuous part of the contact layer and on the exposed at least one passivation layer around the edge of the continuous part, and wherein providing said noble metal layer further comprises electroplating said noble metal onto the noble metal seed layer . - providing a semiconductor die comprising a metal contact region ; - covering said semiconductor die by at least one passivation layer and patterning the at least one passivation layer such as to form an opening to expose the metal contact region of the semiconductor die ; - forming a contact layer (428;128) comprising a refractory metal on said exposed metal contact region , in which said contact layer comprises at least an adhesion layer and at least a diffusion barrier layer; - patterning said contact layer such as to define a continuous part of the contact layer over the exposed metal contact region by exposing the at least one passivation layer around the entire edge of the continuous part, in which said continuous part of said contact layer overlaps and completely covers said opening in the at least one passivation layer ; and - providing a noble metal layer over said contact layer (428;128) such as to completely cover said continuous part of the contact layer, wherein said noble metal layer furthermore extends over said edge of said continuous part of the contact layer such as to adhere to said exposed at least one passivation layer around the edge of the continuous part , <EOS>