A circuit device (15) is placed within an opening of a conductive layer
(10) which is then partially encapsulated with an encapsulant (24)
so that the active surface of the circuit device (15) is coplanar with the
conductive layer (10). At least a portion of the conductive layer (10)
may be used as a reference voltage plane (e.g. a ground plane). Additionally, a
circuit device (115) may be placed on a conductive layer (100) such
that an active surface of circuit device (115) is between conductive layer
(100) and an opposite surface of circuit device (115). The conductive
layer (100) has at least one opening (128) to expose the active surface
of circuit device (115). The encapsulant (24, 126,326) may be electrically
conductive or electrically non-conductive.
