An IC, or integrated circuit board (IC), is a basic component of most electronic devices and products. Here's a look at how an IC works.

The substrate is the foundation

The substrate is the material that is used to etch copper circuits and attach small integrated circuits to a circuit board. It can be flexible plastic, rigid fiberglass, or a customized material for a specific application. Depending on the board, a single-sided PCB may only have printing on one side of the single sheet of substrate and metal-conductive material on the other. Double-sided PCBs have components and printing on both sides. PCBs consist of layers of substrates, insulating materials, and more substrates. All layers of substrates may have conductive properties and integrated circuits.

Boards are connected by holes

The manufacturers of PCBs use three types of holes in the substrate to connect double-stacked and multilayered boards and components. One type is a mechanical hole, which is used to screw boards into their device enclosures. Secondly, there are thru-holes, which allow leads from electrical components to get soldered to connections on the other side of the thru-holes. Thirdly, there are vias, which are filled with copper or other conductive metal. The electrical circuit is carried by copper or metal on both sides of the via hole, allowing electrical current to flow between layers of the PCB.

PCB components vary

A PCB's components vary depending on its intended use, such as capacitors, resistors, diodes, transistors, inductors, and relays. These components may be attached to the PCB depending on its intended use. Signal routing, energy storage, high current control, and other vital functions are performed by each component, all of which are fitted into a tiny space. Machines that test manufactured PCBs ensure that all connections are complete and that current flows through them as intended.

Complexity of PCB fabrication

The plain substrate is layered with copper. A light-sensitive material is then applied to the substrate to capture a stencil of the final PCB layout when exposed to UV light. In order to leave only the metal traces necessary to carry electric current, excess copper (or conducting metal) is removed from the substrate surface. Before the boards are assembled, protective coatings and stenciled information are applied to the substrate.

Small electronics are possible thanks to circuit boards

Electronic devices such as handheld phones and mini-medical equipment can now be built on PCBs. In the past, large electrical components made wiring and electronics cumbersome. PCBs keep electronic components in compact, tidy packages that perform well in limited spaces.