Gallium nitride material devices and methods including backside vias

A semiconductor structure comprising:

• a substrate having a first via and a second via extending from a backside of the substrate;
• a first electrical contact formed in the first via;
• a second electrical contact formed in the second via;
• and
• a gallium nitride material region formed over the substrate,
• wherein the semiconductor structure is capable of vertical conduction between the first electrical contact and the second electrical contact.

A vertically conducting semiconductor device comprising:

• a silicon substrate;
• and
• a gallium nitride material region formed over the silicon substrate,
• wherein the semiconductor device is capable of vertical conduction.

A semiconductor structure comprising:

• a silicon substrate;
• a gallium nitride material region formed over the silicon substrate;
• a non-conducting layer formed between the gallium nitride material region and the silicon substrate;
• an electrical contact formed within a via extending from a backside of the semiconductor structure through the non-conducting layer.