A glass sensor substrate including metallizable through vias and related process is provided. The glass substrate has a first major surface, a second major surface and an average thickness of greater than 0.3 mm. A plurality of etch paths are created through the glass substrate by directing a laser at the substrate in a predetermined pattern. A plurality of through vias through the glass substrate are etched along the etch paths using a hydroxide based etching material. The hydroxide based etching material highly preferentially etches the substrate along the etch path. Each of the plurality of through vias is long compared to their diameter for example such that a ratio of the thickness of the glass substrate to a maximum diameter of each of the through vias is greater than 8 to 1.