Semiconductor device housing with magnetic field protection

Claim 1

A housing for protecting a selected integrated circuit structure contained therein, said integrated circuit structure having therein at least one magnetizable material with its magnetization orientation confined substantially to a plane as a magnetization plane, said housing comprising: a pair of spaced apart layers each formed of a relatively high magnetic permeability material positioned substantially parallel to said magnetization plane between which said integrated circuit structure is secured with each of said layers extending parallel to said magnetization plane to an extent greater than does said magnetizable material in said integrated circuit structure, said housing between said layers being substantially free of magnetic material that is oriented to extend substantially perpendicular to said magnetization plane, and said housing being free of any substantially permanent magnetic materials other than in said integrated circuit structure; and a plurality of conductive leads extending past said pair of layers such that portions thereof are externally available, said integrated circuit structure having interconnection regions therein each electrically connected to a selected one of said plurality of conductive leads.