Shielding apparatus for non-conductive electronic circuit packages

A shielding apparatus for an electric circuit, which apparatus includes an insulated lid and an insulated substrate, the insulated substrate having the electrical circuit disposed thereon and having a first surface and a second surface, the insulated lid having a first interior surface and an edge, the electrical circuit including a conductive area disposed on the first surface, the shielding apparatus comprising:

• a film disposed on the edge of the insulated lid;
• a first conductive flash selectively disposed on the first interior surface, such that a substantially non-uniform, contiguous conduction layer is produced thereon;
• a first conductive flash selectively disposed on said film, to produce a conduction layer which partially covers said film;
• means, disposed peripherally about the electrical circuit on the first surface and substantially aligned with said film disposed on the edge of the insulated lid, for affixing the insulated lid to the substrate, whereby a hermetically-sealed enclosure for isolating the electrical circuit from extraneous radio frequency energy is produced;
• and
• means for connecting the conductive area to said hermetically-sealed enclosure, said means for connecting further comprising:
• a first via extending through the substrate within a boundary defined by the conductive area on the substrate, said first via having a first interior surface which is substantially coated with a conductive material, whereby the conductive area is electrically connected to the first via;
• a second via extending through the substrate and substantially aligned with said means for affixing, said second via having a second interior surface which is substantially coated with a conductive material, whereby said hermetically sealed enclosure is electrically connected to the second via;
• and
• a conductive strip disposed on the second surface extending from the first via to the second via, whereby the first via is electrically connected to the second via.

A method of shielding an electrical circuit using an apparatus which includes an insulated lid having an edge and an interior surface, the edge being retained in contact with a substrate having the electrical circuit disposed thereon, the method comprising the steps of:

• depositing a conductive solder on the edge of the insulated lid;
• selectively depositing a first conductive flash on the interior surface, such that a substantially non-uniform, contiguous conduction layer is disposed therein;
• depositing a second conductive flash on said film to produce a partially contiguous conduction layer;
• and
• hermetically affixing the insulated lid to the substrate, whereby a hermetically sealed enclosure for isolating the electrical circuit from extraneous radio frequency (RF) energy is produced.