Company: TTMI
Filing Date: 2025-02-21
Form Type: 10-K
Source: 0000950170-25-024839
Chunk: 32

Company: TTM TECHNOLOGIES INC
Filing Date: 2025-02-21
Form: 10-K
Item: Item 1
Chunk 32
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 a large number of layers is difficult to accomplish due to the accumulation of manufacturing tolerances and registration systems required. In our PCB reportable segment, we regularly manufacture PCBs with more than 30 layers on a quick-turn and volume basis.

•Blind and buried vias.    Vias are drilled holes that provide electrical connectivity between layers of circuitry in a PCB. Blind vias connect the surface layer of the PCB to an internal layer and terminate at the internal layer. Buried vias are holes that do not reach either surface of the PCB but allow inner layers to be interconnected. Products with blind and buried vias can be made thinner, smaller, lighter, and with higher component density and more functionality than products with traditional vias.

•Microvias.    HDI technology utilizes microvias, which are small vias with diameters generally less than 0.15 mm after plating. Advanced HDI products may also require the microvias to be fully filled using a specialized plating process so that additional microvia structures can be stacked to form more complex interconnections. These microvias consume much less space on the layers they connect, thereby providing for greater wiring densities and flexibility, and also providing closer spacing of components and their attachment pads. The fabrication of PCBs with microvias requires specialized equipment, such as laser drills, and highly developed process knowledge. Higher end applications in both defense and commercial markets employ microvias to obtain a higher degree of functionality from a given surface area.

•Embedded passives.    Embedded passive technology involves embedding either capacitive or resistive elements inside the PCB, which allows for removal of passive components from the surface of the PCB and thereby leaves more surface area for active components. Use of this technology provides greater surface area for surface-mounted ICs and better signal performance, as well as increased functionality of products with higher component density.

•Fine line traces and spaces.    Traces are the connecting copper lines between the different components of the PCB, and spaces are the distances between traces. The smaller the traces and the tighter the spaces, the higher the density of the PCB and the greater the expertise required to achieve a desired final yield performance level. We are able to manufacture PCBs with traces and spaces less than 0.030 mm.

•High aspect ratios.    The aspect ratio is the ratio between the thickness of the PCB and the diameter of a drilled hole. As the aspect ratio increases, it becomes increasingly difficult to consistently and reliably form, electroplate, and finish all the