Patent ID: 7215032

Claim:
An integrated circuit chip, comprising a doped semiconductor and substrate, the substrate having a back side opposite the semiconductor, the chip comprising: at least one post-device formation, through-chip, via including an annulus of insulating material having a depth extending through a portion of the semiconductor and into the substrate, a first annulus of metallization bounding an outer surface of the annulus of insulating material and extending from the back side to an outer surface of the semiconductor, a second annulus of metallization bounding an inner surface of the annulus of insulating material and extending from the back side to the outer surface of the semiconductor; and an annulus of electrically conductive material within the annulus of insulating material extending from the back side to the outer surface of the semiconductor, the first and second annuli of metallization and the annulus of electrically conductive material all being electrically isolated from each other.