Method of manufacturing high frequency module and high frequency module

A method of manufacturing a high frequency module including an electronic component mounted on a component-mounting surface of a unit substrate including a via conductor electrically conducted to a ground electrode, the component-mounting surface is encapsulated with an encapsulation layer made of an insulating material, along with the electronic component, and a conductive shield layer covers the encapsulation layer and is electrically conducted to the via conductor, the method comprising the steps of:

• preparing a collective substrate including a plurality of unit substrates successively connected in a matrix pattern, each of the plurality of unit substrates including the via conductor electrically conducted to the ground electrode in a peripheral portion thereof;
• mounting predetermined electronic components on a component-mounting surface of the collective substrate;
• encapsulating the component-mounting surface of the collective substrate and the electronic components with the encapsulation layer made of the insulating material;
• cutting the collective substrate including the encapsulation layer disposed thereon from a substrate surface on the side containing the encapsulation layer, thereby forming a half-cut groove penetrating through the encapsulation layer for division thereof and extending partially but not entirely through the collective substrate in a direction of thickness thereof such that the via conductor is exposed only at a bottom surface of the half-cut groove;
• forming a conductive shield layer to cover the encapsulation layer and being electrically conducted to the via conductor that is exposed at the bottom surface of the half-cut groove;
• and
• cutting the collective substrate for division into individual unit substrates each including the via conductor and the conductive shield layer electrically conducted to the ground electrode through the via conductor;
• wherein
• the bottom surface of the half-cut groove defined by the lowermost horizontal surface of the half-cut groove.