Is it a bad practice for any reason to put a via in the middle of a trace? For example, in terms of impedance, or reflection?
I have a power trace which I need to get across a bunch of signal traces by hopping to the other layer, and I'm wondering whether it would be best to put the via in the middle of the trace, like this:
Or if I should attach it using another trace, like this:
Best Answer
VIA in trace is OK unless you are designed for high speed signals or very high current. The change in impedance and capacitance can cause signal integrity issues, reflections, for high speed signals. Also keep in mind if the trace is carrying a lot of current, as the size of the "donut" can affect the amount of current flow (resistance change, temperature rise).