Electrical connections within substrates

A substrate comprising:

• a conductive plane;
• a via passing through the conductive plane;
• wherein a gap separates a surface of the via from the conductive plane to provide an uninterrupted path for electrical current flowing substantially on the surface of the via;
• and
• wherein a tab of the conductive plane spans the gap and contacts the via to electrically interconnect the via and the conductive plane.

A substrate comprising:

• first and second conductive planes substantially parallel to each other;
• first and second vias respectively passing through the first and second conductive planes, wherein the first and second vias are adapted to interconnect a first electronic component disposable on a first side of the substrate and a second electronic component disposable on a second side of the substrate;
• wherein the first conductive plane contacts the first via to electrically interconnect the first via and the first conductive plane and the second conductive plane contacts the second via to electrically interconnect the second via and the second conductive plane;
• and
• wherein a first gap separates a surface of the first via from the first conductive plane to provide an uninterrupted path for electrical current flowing substantially on the surface of the first via and wherein a second gap separates a surface of the second via from the second conductive plane to provide an uninterrupted path for electrical current flowing substantially on the surface of the second via.

A method for transmitting high-frequency current through a substrate, the method comprising:

• receiving the high-frequency current at a via passing through a conductive plane disposed within a substrate;
• and
• directing the high-frequency current along an uninterrupted path substantially on a surface of the via comprising:
• separating the via from the conductive plane using a gap, and spanning the gap with one or more tabs of the conductive plane so that the one or more tabs contact the via.

A method for manufacturing an electronic circuit board, the method comprising:

• forming a conductive plane within a substrate;
• forming a via within the substrate that passes through the conductive plane and makes contact with the conductive plane;
• and
• forming a gap between a surface of the via and the conductive plane, wherein the gap provides an uninterrupted path for current flowing substantially on the surface of the via.

A method for manufacturing an electronic circuit board, the method comprising:

• forming two or more conductive planes within a substrate;
• forming a via within the substrate that passes through each of the two or more conductive planes and makes contact with each of the two or more conductive planes;
• forming each of two or more gaps respectively between each of the two or more conductive planes and a surface of the via;
• and
• aligning a portion of each of the two or more gaps with a portion of another of each of the two or more gaps to provide an uninterrupted path for current flowing substantially on the surface of the via.