Methods and systems for stress relieving through-silicon vias are disclosed and may include forming a semiconductor device comprising a stress relieving stepped through-silicon-via (TSV), said stress relieving stepped TSV being formed by: forming first mask layers on a top surface and a bottom surface of a silicon layer, forming a via hole through the silicon layer at exposed regions defined by the first mask layers, and removing the first mask layers. The formed via hole may be filled with metal, second mask layers may be formed covering top and bottom surfaces of the silicon layer and a portion of top and bottom surfaces of the metal filling the formed via hole, and metal may be removed from the top and bottom surfaces of the metal exposed by the second mask layers to a depth of less than half a thickness of the silicon layer.
