A
printed circuit board (PCB)
assembly is provided. The PCB
assembly is adapted for mounting at least one heat-generating electrical device and providing integrated heat dissipating capability to dissipate heat generated by the electrical device. The PCB
assembly has a top surface and a bottom surface and comprises a
signal carrying layer and an insert of pyrolytic
graphite (PG). The
signal carrying layer, disposed between the top surface and the bottom surface, comprises a material that is both thermally conductive and
electrically conductive (such as at least one of aluminum,
copper, and silver and alloys thereof) and has at least a portion
lying in a first plane. The insert of PG is disposed within at least a portion of the first plane of the
signal carrying layer, is in
thermal contact with the signal carrying layer, and is constructed and arranged to have its greatest electrical
conductivity in the first plane. Optionally, a conductive via can be formed in portions of the signal carrying layer not occupied by the insert of PG, where the conductive via operably couples a first side of the signal carrying layer to a second side of the signal carrying layer.