Free layer magnetic reader that may have a reduced shield-to-shield spacing

A magnetic read apparatus comprising:

• a read sensor comprising a free layer and a nonmagnetic spacer layer;
• and
• a shield structure comprising a shield pinning structure and a shield reference structure,
• wherein the shield reference structure abuts the nonmagnetic spacer layer and is between the shield pinning structure and the free layer, and
• wherein at least one of the shield pinning structure and the shield reference structure has a length that extends longer in a stripe height direction relative to a length of the free layer in the stripe height direction, wherein the stripe height direction extends along a plane that is perpendicular to an air bearing surface of the magnetic read apparatus.

A magnetic read apparatus comprising:

• a read sensor comprising a free layer and a nonmagnetic spacer layer;
• and
• a shield structure comprising:
• a shield pinning structure;
• a shield reference structure;
• and
• a nonmagnetic coupling layer between the shield pinning structure and the shield reference structure,
• wherein the shield pinning structure comprises a pinning layer and a magnetic layer, the magnetic layer located between the pinning layer and the nonmagnetic coupling layer, and
• wherein the shield reference structure comprises a first magnetic layer, a second magnetic layer and a nonmagnetic layer between the first magnetic layer and the second magnetic layer, the second magnetic layer located between the nonmagnetic coupling layer and the nonmagnetic layer.