Efficient Measurement Techniques and Modelling of Printed Circuit Board Shields

The measurement of shielding effectiveness of printed circuit board shields can be undertaken with the shields connected to a measurement jig installed in a reverberation chamber. Normally the connection of the shield to the jig would be made by soldering. This has disadvantages associated with the de-soldering process and the subsequent re-use of the shield and the jig. Here we describe experiments to measure the shielding effectiveness of these shields using a jig that relies on clamping the shield to the jig and also the use of silver conducting paint to facilitate connection. The former proved unsatisfactory whilst the latter has significant advantages. Numerical models of the shield and jig illustrate the processes involved.