Copper pours are large areas of copper on a PCB that are intentionally left unetched during the manufacturing process. These regions are used to create low-impedance connections, improve heat dissipation, and reduce EMI.
These copper areas are commonly connected to ground planes. They are essential in high-speed designs for noise reduction and maintaining signal integrity.
Copper ground pours can cover an entire board layer or be limited to specific regions around traces and components.
Types of copper pours:
Solid pour: A continuous, unbroken area of copper that provides maximum electrical conductivity and heat dissipation.
Hatched plane: A grid or crosshatch pattern used to reduce copper weight or improve flexibility, especially in flex and flex-rigid printed boards.
Copper thieving: Small, isolated copper regions are placed in unused board regions to ensure balanced copper distribution in your PCBs. This improves uniformity during etching, reducing the risks of over-etching and uneven copper thickness.