Patent ID: 7880307

Claim:
A semiconductor device, comprising: a substrate having a first surface and a second, opposing surface; a through-wafer interconnect structure extending from the first surface to the second, opposing surface, the through-wafer interconnect comprising: an electrically conductive material extending from the first surface of the substrate to the second, opposing surface of the substrate, wherein a first portion of the electrically conductive material is exposed through the first surface of the substrate and a second portion of the electrically conductive material is exposed through the second, opposing surface of the substrate; a first dielectric material disposed between and adjacent to the electrically conductive material and the substrate and extending from the second, opposing surface of the substrate to the first portion of the conductive material and wherein the first dielectric material is at least substantially flush with the second portion of the electrically conductive material; and a second dielectric material disposed over a portion of the electrically conductive material and exhibiting a surface that defines a blind aperture extending from the first surface toward the second, opposing surface.