Patent ID: 7227256

Claim:
A ball grid array (BGA) package, comprising: a substantially planar substrate having a plurality of contact pads on a first surface electrically connected through said substrate to a plurality of solder ball pads on a second surface of said substrate, wherein a die attach pad having an area is formed as an exposed metal pad in a first layer of said substrate and a centrally located contact plane having an area and location that corresponds to said die attach pad is formed as an exposed metal pad in a second layer of said substrate, wherein a surface of said first layer is said first surface of said substrate and a surface of said second layer is said second surface of said substrate, and wherein said die attach pad is coupled to said contact plane by at least one thermally conductive via through said substrate; a rigid metal thermal connector that has a first surface attached to said contact plane, wherein a second surface of said rigid metal thermal connector is capable of being attached to a printed circuit board (PCB); an integrated circuit (IC) die that is mounted to said die attach pad; and a first wire bond that couples a first bond pad on said IC die to one of said plurality of contact pads, wherein a thickness of said contact plane is substantially less than a thickness of said rigid metal thermal connector.