Enhanced substrate contact for a semiconductor device

A method of forming a semiconductor structure in a semiconductor wafer includes the steps of forming an epitaxial layer on at least a portion of a semiconductor substrate of a first conductivity type and forming at least one trench through the epitaxial layer to at least partially expose the substrate. The method further includes doping at least one or more sidewalls of the at least one trench with an impurity of a known concentration level. The at least one trench is then substantially filled with a filler material. In this manner, a low-resistance electrical path is formed between an upper surface of the epitaxial layer and the substrate.