Shield designs for two dimensional magnetic recording read heads

A two dimensional magnetic recording (TDMR) read head, comprising:

• a first shield;
• a first dual free layer (DFL) sensor disposed over the first shield, the first DFL sensor comprising a first cap layer;
• a middle shield disposed over the first sensor, the middle shield comprising a first ferromagnetic (FM) layer disposed in contact with the first cap layer, a dusting layer disposed in contact with the first FM layer, an antiferromagnetic (AFM) layer disposed on the dusting layer, a second FM layer disposed in contact with the AFM layer, and a second cap layer disposed in contact with the second FM layer, wherein a magnetization direction of the first FM layer is parallel to a magnetization direction of the second FM layer;
• a second DFL sensor disposed over the middle shield, the second DFL sensor comprising a seed layer, wherein the second cap layer is disposed in contact with the seed layer;
• and
• a second shield disposed over the second DFL sensor, the second shield comprising a first pinned layer, an antiferromagnetic coupling (AFC) layer disposed on the first pinned layer, and a second pinned layer disposed on the AFC layer, wherein a magnetization direction of the first pinned layer is anti-parallel to the magnetization direction of the first FM layer.

A two dimensional magnetic recording (TDMR) read head, comprising:

• a first shield;
• a first dual free layer (DFL) sensor disposed over the first shield, the first DFL sensor comprising a cap layer;
• a middle shield disposed over the first DFL sensor, the middle shield comprising:
• a first ferromagnetic (FM) layer disposed in contact with the cap layer;
• a first dusting layer disposed on the first FM layer;
• an antiferromagnetic (AFM) layer disposed on the first dusting layer;
• a second dusting layer disposed on the AFM layer;
• a second FM layer disposed on the second dusting layer, wherein a magnetization direction of the first FM layer is parallel to a magnetization direction of the second FM layer;
• a second DFL sensor disposed over the middle shield, the second DFL sensor comprising a seed layer, wherein the second FM layer is disposed in contact with the seed layer;
• and
• a second shield disposed over the second DFL sensor, the second shield comprising a first pinned layer, an antiferromagnetic coupling (AFC) layer disposed on the first pinned layer, and a second pinned layer disposed on the AFC layer, wherein a magnetization direction of the first pinned layer is anti-parallel to the magnetization direction of the first FM layer.