Solder void reduction between electronic packages and printed circuit boards

A method comprising:

• fabricating a printed circuit board, wherein the fabricating comprises,
• forming at least one first conductive layer on top a first dielectric layer, wherein the at least one first conductive layer comprises at least one of a ground plane and a power plane;
• forming a second dielectric layer on top of the at least one first conductive layer;
• forming a second conductive layer on top of the second dielectric layer, wherein the second conductive layer comprises at least one of a ground plane and a power plane;
• forming a third dielectric layer on top of the second conductive layer;
• forming a thermal pad on top of the third dielectric layer, wherein an electronic package is to be soldered on top of the thermal pad;
• forming at least one through hole in the thermal pad, the third dielectric layer, the second conductive layer, the second dielectric layer, the at least one first conductive layer, and the first dielectric layer;
• filling the at least one through hole with a conductive material to form at least one plated through hole for electrically coupling the thermal pad to the at least one first conductive layer and the second conductive layer;
• and
• backdrilling the at least one plated through hole to remove a portion of the conductive material, wherein subsequent to the backdrilling the conductive material remaining in the at least one plated through hole electrically couples the second conductive layer to the thermal pad and wherein the conductive material remaining does not electrically couple the at least one first conductive layer to the thermal pad.

An apparatus comprising:

• a printed circuit board comprising,
• a first dielectric layer;
• at least one conductive layer formed on top of the first dielectric layer, wherein the at least one conductive layer comprises at least one of a ground plane and a power plane;
• a second dielectric layer formed on top of the at least one conductive layer;
• a thermal pad formed on top of the second dielectric layer, wherein an electrical package is to be soldered on top of the thermal pad;
• and
• at least one plated through hole filled with conductive material, wherein the at least one plated through hole extends through the thermal pad, the second dielectric layer, the at least one conductive layer, and the first dielectric layer, wherein a portion of the conductive material has been removed using a backdrill operation, wherein the conductive material that remains after the backdrill operation electrically couples one or more of the at least one conductive layer to the thermal pad.