Patent ID: 8709855

Claim:
A method of forming a semiconductor structure comprising: forming at least a first semiconductor device and a second semiconductor device on a top surface of a semiconductor substrate; forming a conductive light shield over said first and second semiconductor devices, wherein said conductive light shield includes an upper portion and at least two downward-protruding via portions, wherein said conductive light shield is of integral construction and contiguously extends throughout an entirety thereof, has a same material composition throughout said entirety thereof, and does not have any physically manifested interface therein, wherein said upper portion overlies and does not physically contact each of a portion of said first semiconductor device and a portion of said second semiconductor device, wherein one of said at least two downward-protruding via portions electrically contacts a first component of said first semiconductor device, and another of said at least two downward-protruding via portions electrically contacts a second component of said second semiconductor device, and wherein said conductive light shield is in physical and electrical contact with said first component and said second component; and forming a contact via abutting a top surface of one of said first and second semiconductor devices, wherein said contact via is of integral construction without any physically manifested interface therein, and a top surface of said contact via is formed farther away from said semiconductor substrate than any portion of said conductive light shield.