A method is provided for dicing a semiconductor substrate into a plurality of dies, the semiconductor substrate having a front side including a plurality of device areas, a back side, and a plurality of through substrate vias. The method includes defining, from the front side, at least one trench to be formed between adjacent device areas, forming the at least one trench, from the front side of the semiconductor substrate, arranging a protective layer on the front side of the semiconductor substrate, thinning the semiconductor substrate from the back side to reduce the thickness of the semiconductor substrate, processing the back side of the semiconductor substrate to form at least one contact, the contact contacting at least one through substrate via, etching through the minor portion of the thickness of the semiconductor substrate underneath the at least one trench, and dicing the semiconductor substrate into the plurality of dies.