PCB (Printed Circuit Board) boards and integrated circuits (Integrated Circuit, IC) are two core components of electronic products. There are the following differences between them:
Different working principles
PCB boards are board substrates used to connect different electronic components, including wires, resistors, capacitors and other components used to build circuits. Whereas an integrated circuit is a semiconductor chip on which multiple components are integrated on a single chip. It forms a complex circuit system by integrating many different circuit components onto a small chip through microfabrication techniques. This type of integration can dramatically reduce circuit size and improve circuit reliability and efficiency.
Different structures
PCB boards are circuit boards that have one or more layers, made from one or more layers of printed circuits, and usually contain copper foils, biocides, inks, and so on. Integrated circuits, on the other hand, are chips made of semiconductor material, typically consisting of circuit lines etched on a very thin silicon wafer, and then the entire chip is encapsulated.
Different applications
PCB boards are widely used in circuit board assembly and electronic devices, commonly found in electronic products such as televisions, cell phones and computers. Integrated circuits, on the other hand, are core components used in digital electronic products, such as computers, cell phones, washing machines, air conditioners, automobiles, and medical devices, among others.
The above is the main difference between PCB boards and integrated circuits, which have different application scenarios and roles in the field of electronic engineering.