Hard magnet stabilized shield for double (2DMR) or triple (3DMR) dimension magnetic reader structures

A magnetic read head structure, comprising:

• (a) a first magnetoresistive (MR) sensor formed on a first bottom shield and having a free layer with a first magnetization in a first direction, the first MR sensor has sidewalls that extend from a top surface thereof to the first bottom shield wherein the top surface has a first cross-track width (a) at an air bearing surface (ABS);
• (b) a first top shield that contacts the first MR sensor top surface and having a second cross-track width (w) at the ABS where w>a, and a backside that is a first height (h) from the ABS, the first top shield has a second magnetization in the first direction;
• (c) a first junction shield on each side of a center plane that bisects the first MR sensor in a down-track direction, the first junction shield is adjacent to the first MR sensor sidewalls, has an outer side on each side of the center plane at a third cross-track width, and has a third magnetization in the first direction;
• and
• (d) a first hard magnet (HM) layer that contacts essentially all of a bottom surface of the first top shield except for a portion above the first MR sensor and first junction shield, the first HM layer has a fourth magnetization that is set or reset to the first direction from room temperature to about 100° C., and maintains the second magnetization in the first direction in the absence of an external magnetic field thereby providing enhanced stability to the first and third magnetizations, the first HM layer has the second cross-track width at a backside thereof that is at the first height, and has inner sides that adjoin each outer side of the first junction shield.