Patent ID: 8304863

Claim:
A semiconductor structure comprising: a first substrate, said first substrate including at least one through-substrate via (TSV) structure extending from a first surface located on one side of said first substrate to a second surface located on an opposite side of said first substrate, each of said at least one TSV structure comprising a plurality of conductive via segments that are vertically spaced from one another by at least one conductive liner portion; and an array of conductive bonding material structures located on said second surface of said first substrate, wherein each of said array of conductive bonding material structures contacts a bottom surface of a TSV structure within said at least one TSV structure, wherein each vertically adjacent pair of said plurality of conductive via segments is spaced from each other by a conductive liner portion among said at least one conductive liner portion, wherein a bottom surface of one of said vertically adjacent pair of conductive via segments is in contact with an upper surface of said conductive liner portion and a top surface of the other of said vertically adjacent pair of conductive via segments is in contact with a lower surface of said conductive liner portion, and wherein said lower surface of said conductive liner portion is in contact with another conductive liner portion that laterally surrounds, and contacts sidewalls of, said other of said vertically adjacent pair of conductive via segments.