forming trenches within an insulating layer disposed over a semiconductor substrate;

filling the trenches with conductive material to form conductive regions;

selectively forming first dielectric regions on a pattern over exposed top surfaces of the insulating layer;

forming a mask over the semiconductor substrate and removing the first dielectric regions in areas not covered by the mask;

depositing an inter-layer dielectric over remaining first dielectric regions, the conductive regions, and the insulating layer; and

etching a portion of the inter-layer dielectric between two of the remaining first dielectric regions to form a self-aligned via.