Embedded toroidal inductors

An inductor, comprising:

• a ceramic substrate comprised of a plurality of ceramic layers;
• a first plurality of conductive vias formed in said ceramic substrate radially spaced a first distance from a central axis so as to define an inner circumference;
• a second plurality of conductive vias radially spaced a second distance about said central axis so as to define an outer circumference;
• a first plurality of conductive traces disposed in a first plane defined orthogonal to said central axis, said first plurality of conductive traces forming an electrical connection between substantially radially adjacent ones of said first and second plurality of conductive vias;
• a second plurality of conductive trace disposed in a second plane spaced from said first plane and defined orthogonal to said central axis, and forming an electrical connection between circumferentially offset ones of said first and second plurality of conductive vias to define a three-dimensional conductive toroidal coil;
• wherein at least a first one of said ceramic layers has a permeability greater than one over an area that includes said entire substrate, and at least a portion of said first one of said ceramic layers is contained within a toroid shaped core region of said ceramic substrate, defined within said toroidal coil.