RAYMING PCB & ASSEMBLY

Microvias in Printed Circuit Design

You Need to Know
A microvia is a small via used to interconnect layers in multilayer PCBs
(printed circuit boards). Microvias are drilled holes filled with conductive
material to create vertical interconnections between traces on different PCB
layers.

The name comes from the fact that microvias have a smaller diameter and
capture pad size than standard vias. Typical microvia diameters range from
0.05 mm to 0.2mm with most being 0.1mm or 0.15mm. Microvias enable
greater routing density by allowing connections between layers not previously
possible with larger standard vias.

Benefits of Using Microvias

Microvias provide several benefits:

 Higher interconnect density — More connections can be made across

layers in the same PCB area

PCB Manufacturing & Assembly Services https://www.raypcb.com/

 RAYMING PCB & ASSEMBLY

 Miniaturization — Microvias support complex PCBs with components

mounted on both sides

 Increased layers — Designs can incorporate 20 layers or more when

using microvias

 Reduced manufacturing costs — Microvia PCB technology lowers

drilling, metallization, and material expenses

When are Microvias Used?

Microvias are commonly used in designs when:

 Board space is limited

 Layer count exceeds 6 layers

 Component lead pitches are less than 50 mils

 High density flexible PCBs are required

 Area array packaging applications need dense vertical spacing

Microvia Structure and Materials

PCB Manufacturing & Assembly Services https://www.raypcb.com/

 RAYMING PCB & ASSEMBLY

Microvias are laser drilled and then plated with copper to create the barrel
connection. The most common plating method uses a copper electroless
process. Various fills can produce the interconnect including:

 Electroplated copper

 Conductive ink

 Conductive paste

 Plated through hole (PTH) fills

Reliability depends on the materials used along with hole wall smoothness and
plating uniformity. The interfacing copper pad provides both electrical
connectivity and mechanical support. Pad shapes include round, rectangular,
and oval designs depending on layout needs.

Microvia Design Guidelines

Following microvia fabrication and materials guidelines ensures the vias

function properly:

Drill Diameter and Annular Ring

 Via hole diameter is typically between 0.05mm to 0.20mm

 Annular ring width should be at least 0.075mm (3 mils)

Microvia Layout

 Stacking microvias directly over each other should be avoided

 Minimum microvia spacing is generally 3–4 times their diameter

 Capture pads should provide sufficient annular ring support

 1 oz copper recommended for capture pads

PCB Manufacturing & Assembly Services https://www.raypcb.com/

 RAYMING PCB & ASSEMBLY

 Glue-epoxy can be applied between layers for mechanical support

Layer Transitions

 Maximum of 2 adjacent layer transitions recommended

 Skipping layers can result in structural weakness

Pad and Anti-Pad Sizes

Table 1: Recommended Microvia Pad and Anti-Pad Sizes

PCB Manufacturing & Assembly Services https://www.raypcb.com/

 RAYMING PCB & ASSEMBLY

Plating Specifications

 Copper plating thickness should be 25 μm (1 oz) minimum

 No more than 25% plating variation through the length of the hole

 Barrel resistance under 50 mOhms after plating

Following these guidelines results in reliable, high performance microvia

connections.

HDI PCBs with Microvias

High density interconnect (HDI) PCB’s utilize microvias to maximize

interconnect routing in compact multilayer boards. Some examples include:

Mobile and Handheld Devices

Microvias in 4–6 layer HDI boards reduce size and interconnect advanced
components.

Automotive Electronics

Automotive control units integrate microvia HDI technology ensuring

reliability under harsh conditions.

Medical Electronics

X-ray detectors, ultrasound transducers, and patient monitoring devices

embed microvia Teflon-based flex circuits to fit constrained spaces.

Aerospace and Avionics

PCB Manufacturing & Assembly Services https://www.raypcb.com/

 RAYMING PCB & ASSEMBLY

Rugged, multilayer ceramic boards with stacked microvias withstand

mechanical shock and vibration.

IoT Devices

Microvias connect components in miniaturized wearable and edge networking

products.

HDI methods implement stacked microvias, tighter trace widths, and higher
connection densities vs conventional PCBs. This enables sophisticated portable
electronics shrinking over time.

Microvia Reliability Concerns

While microvias provide interconnection advantages, certain design and

fabrication precautions should be considered regarding their reliability:

Registration Accuracy

PCB Manufacturing & Assembly Services https://www.raypcb.com/

 RAYMING PCB & ASSEMBLY

Laser drilling precision must register vias properly over capture pads. Errors
lead to compromised connections.

Resin Coating

Applying resin coatings between layers can crack due to thermal stresses over
the microvia.

Stacked Acid Copper

Multiple microvias stacked directly over each other without skip vias risk
structural failure of the interconnect.

Plating Uniformity

Non-uniform plating inside the via barrel can create weak spots leading to
cracks or open circuits.

Thermal Stresses

Coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE) mismatches between insulating

laminate and copper microvias induce mechanical stresses.

PCB Flexure

Repeated flexing and vibration can fracture brittle acid copper plating in
microvias leading to reliability concerns.

Following the design rules outlined previously minimizes these potential

failure mechanisms in microvia PCB structures.

HDI Microvia PCB Fabrication Process

PCB Manufacturing & Assembly Services https://www.raypcb.com/

 RAYMING PCB & ASSEMBLY

High density interconnect PCBs with stacked microvias use sequential buildup
technology to manufacture multilayer boards. The fabrication steps include:

Table 2: HDI Microvia PCB Fabrication Process

The sequential process ultimately creates ultra high density PCBs with stacked
microvias. Precision drilling and plating processes ensure the interconnect
reliability.

PCB Manufacturing & Assembly Services https://www.raypcb.com/

 RAYMING PCB & ASSEMBLY

Microvia PCB Design Software

Specialized PCB design software streamlines multilayer microvia routing,

editing, analysis, and manufacturing:

Altium Designer

Full featured electronics design platform supports high speed routing, 3D

modeling, and multilayer stackups with microvias.

Cadence Allegro

Robust toolset for PCB layout has extensive routing and SiP/HDI support with
microvia design rule checks.

Mentor Graphics Xpedition

Integrates schematic capture, layout, 3D modeling, and manufacturing prep

for advanced HDI microvia boards.

Zuken CR-8000
PCB Manufacturing & Assembly Services https://www.raypcb.com/
 RAYMING PCB & ASSEMBLY

Multilayer HDI layout solution features autorouting and 3D modeling

compatible with microvia capture pad designs.

The software automates capture pad shapes, checking annular ring violations,
calculating plane currents, and avoiding irregular layer transitions with
microvias.

Future Outlook for Microvias

Several emerging trends will shape microvia applications in future PCBs:

 Microvia diameters shrinking below 0.10 mm driven by HDI and

substrate technology

 Microvias replacing dug holes for closer routing channels

 Increased adoption in automotive electronics for autonomous vehicles

 Growth in 5G antennas using multilayer boards with high density

microvias

 Advancements in microvia reliability as plating uniformity and drilling

precision improves

 Embedding discrete passives using microvia interconnects to further

miniaturize designs

 Low cost laser drilling expanding as UV lasers replace CO2 technology

Continuing innovation will further miniaturize microvias and increase

interconnect densities. This supports electronic product evolution following
Moore’s law trajectories in new markets.

Microvia PCB Design and Fabrication — FAQs

PCB Manufacturing & Assembly Services https://www.raypcb.com/

 RAYMING PCB & ASSEMBLY

What are the main benefits of using microvias?

The main benefits are increased routing density, thinner constructions, and
more PCB layers integrated in the same area vs designs with only standard vias.
This allows more complex circuitry.

What diameter range do microvias typically fall under?

Microvia diameters are generally between 0.05mm to 0.20mm. The most

common drill sizes used

PCB Manufacturing & Assembly Services https://www.raypcb.com/