Via (electronics)

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A via (Latin, 'path' or 'way') is an electrical connection between two or more metal layers, and are commonly used in printed circuit boards (PCB). Essentially a via is a small drilled hole that goes through two or more adjacent layers; the hole is plated with metal (often copper) that forms an electrical connection through the insulating layers.

Vias are an important concern in PCB manufacturing.^[1] This is because the vias are drilled with certain tolerances and may be fabricated off their designated locations, so some allowance for errors in drill position must be made prior to manufacturing or else the manufacturing yield can decrease due to non-conforming boards (according to some reference standard) or even due to failing boards. In addition, regular through-hole vias are considered fragile structures as they are long and narrow; the manufacturer must ensure that the vias are plated properly throughout the barrel and this in turn causes several processing steps.