circuit board

electronics

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Last updated

July 16, 2026

Quick Summary

A printed circuit, often called a circuit board, is an electrical device where wiring and components are formed by a thin layer of conductive material applied to an insulating substrate. These circuits replaced traditional wiring in many electronic devices after World War II, significantly reducing size and weight while improving reliability.12

A common method involves coating an insulating board, like fiberglass-reinforced epoxy, with copper. This copper is then patterned photographically, and the unprotected areas are etched away, leaving behind conductive "traces" that form the circuit wiring. The board is then prepared for attaching discrete components and integrated circuits.1

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integrated circuit
The final package
…when looking at a computer’s circuit board. The plastic packages have metal connection pins that connect the outside world (such as a computer board) to the proper contact points on the die through holes in the passivation layer.
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…when looking at a computer’s circuit board. The plastic packages have metal connection pins that connect the outside world (such as a computer board) to the proper contact points on the die through holes in the passivation layer.
Read More