Patent ID: 8129266

Claim:
A method of forming a shielded semiconductor device comprising: providing a semiconductor substrate; forming active semiconductor devices on a surface of the semiconductor substrate; forming a plurality of conductor layers overlying at least a portion of the active semiconductor devices wherein the plurality of conductor layers interconnect at least a portion of the active semiconductor devices and wherein at least one inter-layer dielectric is interposed between the portion of the active semiconductor devices and the plurality of conductor layers wherein the inter-layer dielectric overlies the surface of the semiconductor substrate; forming a metal shield layer overlying the plurality of conductor layers; forming a passivation layer used to protect the shielded semiconductor device from contaminants overlying the inter-layer dielectric and underlying the metal shield layer wherein the metal shield layer is separated from the plurality of conductor layers by the passivation layer and wherein the metal shield layer is not coupled to electrical signals or electrical potentials distributed among the active semiconductor.