Magnetic field shaping conductor
View Patent ↗An integrated circuit arrangement having at least one electrical conductor which, when a current flows through it, produces a magnetic field which acts on at least a further part of the circuit arrangement. The electrical conductor has a first side oriented towards the at least further part of the circuit arrangement and comprises a main line of conductive material, and, connected to its first side, at least one field shaping strip made of magnetic material. Due to the field shaping strip, the inhomogeneity of the magnetic field profile above the electrical conductor is reduced.
1. An integrated circuit arrangement comprising at least one electrical conductor which, when a current flows through the electrical conductor, produces a magnetic field which acts on at least a further part of the circuit arrangement, the electrical conductor having a first side oriented towards the at least further part of the circuit arrangement, wherein the electrical conductor including a main line of conductive material, and, connected to the first side of the electric conductor, at least one field shaping strip made of magnetic material.
2. An integrated circuit arrangement according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one field shaping strip is made of a material having a permeability of 100 or higher.
3. An integrated circuit arrangement according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one field shaping strip is made of a material having a coercivity of 1 kA/m or lower.
4. An integrated circuit arrangement according to claim 1 , wherein the magnetic material is permalloy.
5. An integrated circuit arrangement according to claim 1 , the electrical conductor having a length in its longitudinal direction, wherein the magnetic strip extends over a majority portion of the length of the electrical conductor.
6. An integrated circuit arrangement according to claim 1 , the electrical conductor having a length in its longitudinal direction, wherein the at least one strip of magnetic material comprises a plurality of separate segments of magnetic material over the length of the electrical conductor.
7. An integrated circuit arrangement according to claim 1 , the electrical conductor having a width in its transversal direction, wherein the magnetic strip is located substantially centrally on the electrical conductor, with respect to its width.
8. An integrated circuit arrangement according to claim 1 , wherein at least two electrical conductors are provided which are located in two different planes and cross at an angle with respect to each other, the further part being located between the two different planes and the further part being located at a crossing point of two electrical conductors.
9. An integrated circuit arrangement according to claim 8 , wherein all of the at least two electrical conductors are provided with a field shaping strip of magnetic material.
10. An integrated circuit arrangement according to claim 8 , wherein the further part is an MRAM device.
11. A method for producing an integrated circuit arrangement having at least one electrical conductor which, when a current flows though the electrical conductor, produces a magnetic field which acts on at least a further part of the circuit arrangement, the method comprising: providing a main line of conductive material to form part of the electrical conductor, the electrical conductor having a first side oriented towards the at least further part of the circuit arrangement, and shaping the magnetic field adjacent the first side of the electrical conductor by providing, attached to the first side of the electrical conductor, at least one magnetic strip.
12. The method of claim 11 wherein the at least one magnetic strip is made of material having a permeability of 100 or higher.
13. The method of claim 11 , wherein the magnetic strip is made of material having a coercivity of 1 kA/m or lower.
14. A method according to claim 11 , wherein the main line of conductive material is provided by a damascene process.
15. A method according to claim 11 , wherein the electrical conductor has a length in its longitudinal direction, the method further comprising forming the magnetic strip by forming a plurality of separate segments of magnetic material over the length of the electrical conductor.