Measuring shielding effectiveness at the IC level

Shielding an integrated circuit is not typically the preferred solution, but can be a time-saving option to improve the immunity of a printed circuit board late in the development stage. In this paper a new measurement method for evaluating various shielding configurations applicable to integrated circuits is described. This method allows for the distinction between electric and magnetic fields and the individual evaluation of the shield's effectiveness against each field. For the investigation two shielding materials were used: copper adhesive tape and a braided fleece tape. This paper is aimed at developers of printed circuit boards and offers some guidance on shielding integrated circuits.