Technique for increasing adhesion of metallization layers by providing dummy vias

A method, comprising:

• identifying a region of reduced via density in a metallization layer of a semiconductor device by determining an area in said metallization layer for receiving a metal region therein on the basis of design rules for said semiconductor device, determining a number of functional vias located below said metal region and connected thereto and obtaining a measure for a density of said functional vias on the basis of design values relating to said metal region and said functional vias, wherein the region is identified based on said measure;
• forming a dummy via in said identified region beneath said metal region;
• and
• forming the metal region above said identified region, said metal region connecting to said dummy via.