Understanding the Relationship Between PCB and Integrated Circuits

In the process of learning electronics, we often encounter Printed Circuit Boards (PCBs) and Integrated Circuits (ICs). Many people find it hard to distinguish between these two concepts. In fact, they are not that complicated. Today, we will clarify the differences between PCBs and integrated circuits.

What is PCB?

PCB (Printed Circuit Board) is an important electronic component, serving as the support for electronic components and the carrier for their electrical connections. It is called a “printed” circuit board because it is made using electronic printing technology.

Currently, circuit boards mainly consist of lines and patterns, dielectric layers, through holes, solder resist, silk screen marking, and surface finishes.

Advantages of PCB: High density, high reliability, design flexibility, manufacturability, testability, assemblability, and maintainability.

What is an Integrated Circuit?

An Integrated Circuit (IC) is a type of microelectronic device or component. It uses a specific process to interconnect transistors, resistors, capacitors, and inductors required in a circuit, fabricating them on a small piece or several pieces of semiconductor wafers or dielectric substrates, and then encapsulating them in a package to form a microstructure with the desired circuit function. All components are structurally integrated, making significant advances towards miniaturization, low power consumption, intelligence, and high reliability. It is represented in circuits by the letters “IC”.

Integrated circuits can be classified into three main categories based on their functions and structures: analog integrated circuits, digital integrated circuits, and mixed-signal integrated circuits.

Integrated circuits have advantages such as small size, lightweight, fewer lead wires and solder points, long lifespan, high reliability, good performance, low cost, and ease of mass production.

The Relationship Between PCB and Integrated Circuits

Integrated circuits generally refer to chips, such as the northbridge chip on a motherboard or the CPU itself, which are all referred to as integrated circuits, originally called integrated blocks. PCBs are the circuit boards we typically see, where chips are printed and soldered.

Understanding the relationship between the two: Integrated Circuits (ICs) are soldered onto PCBs; PCBs are the carriers of Integrated Circuits (ICs).

In simple terms, an integrated circuit integrates a general circuit onto a chip; it is a whole. If it is damaged internally, the chip is also damaged, whereas a PCB allows for individual components to be soldered and replaced if damaged.

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