Method and apparatus for mounting and cooling a circuit component

A method of mounting and cooling a circuit component having a plurality of contacts, which method comprises:

• (i) providing a rigid substrate of a thermally conductive material, the substrate having a face with at least one electrically isolating region thereupon;
• (ii) providing a circuit board having an electrically insulating base and two opposing sides, a plurality of electrically conductive traces on or in the base, each trace terminating in a respective contact pad positioned to align with a respective contact of the plurality of contacts of the circuit component;
• (iii) forming a plurality of blind holes in the base of the circuit board, each hole terminating at a respective one of the contact pads on the base that is on the side of the circuit board facing the rigid substrate;
• (iv) filling the blind holes in the base of the circuit board with at least one metallic material, and thereby forming electrically and thermally conductive vias extending between the opposite sides of the base;
• (v) securing the circuit board to the rigid substrate with at least some of the contact pads on the circuit board disposed on the side of the circuit board facing the electrically insulating region of the rigid substrate;
• (vi) bonding at least some of the contact pads on the side of the circuit board facing the rigid substrate to the electrically insulating region of the rigid substrate, so as to establish thermal contact between the bonded contact pads and the rigid substrate;
• (vii) placing the circuit component on the circuit board, such that at least the circuit board base lies between the circuit component and the rigid substrate;
• and
• (viii) soldering the contacts of the circuit component to the respective vias.