Segmented stress decoupling via frontside trenching

A semiconductor chip, comprising:

• a first region;
• a second region that is peripheral to the first region;
• a substrate having a first surface and a second surface arranged opposite to the first surface;
• a stress-sensitive sensor disposed in the first region at the first surface of the substrate, wherein the stress-sensitive sensor includes a sensitive area that is sensitive to mechanical stress;
• a back end of line (BEOL) stack disposed on the first surface of the semiconductor chip that extends laterally from the MEMS element, in the first region of the semiconductor chip, into the second region of the semiconductor chip;
• a first cavity formed in the BEOL stack that exposes the sensitive area of the stress-sensitive sensor, wherein the first cavity extends entirely through the BEOL stack over the first region thereby exposing the sensitive area of the stress-sensitive sensor;
• and
• at least one stress-decoupling trench laterally spaced from the stress-sensitive sensor and laterally spaced from the first cavity with a portion of the BEOL stack interposed between the at least one stress-decoupling trench and the first cavity, wherein the at least one stress-decoupling trench extends through the BEOL stack and through the first surface into the substrate, wherein the at least one stress-decoupling trench extends partially into the substrate towards the second surface although not completely to the second surface, and wherein the at least one stress-decoupling trench defines a vertical boundary between the first region of the semiconductor chip and the second region of the semiconductor chip.