Magnetically stable shields for MR head

A combined magnetic head which includes an MR read head adjacent an inductive write head comprising:

• the inductive write head including:
• a coil layer sandwiched between insulation layers, the insulation layers being sandwiched between first and second pole piece layers;
• and
• the first and second pole piece layers terminating in first and second pole tips respectively at a head surface;
• the MR read head including:
• an MR sensor sandwiched between first and second gap layers;
• first and second shield layers;
• the first and second gap layers being sandwiched between the first and second shield layers;
• the MR sensor, the first and second gap layers and the first and second shield layers terminating at said head surface;
• the first and second shield layers being subjected to consecutive write fields from the write head;
• and
• at least one of the first and second shield layers being constructed of a lamination of at least one antiferromagnetic layer and at least one soft magnetic layer wherein the soft magnetic layer has an easy axis parallel to the head surface and a hard axis perpendicular to the head surface, the antiferromagnetic layer increasing magnetic domain stability of the soft magnetic layer by increasing uniaxial anisotropy of the lamination,
• whereby after the occurrence of each of a number of said consecutive write fields, the said at least one of the first and second shield layers returns to a substantially common magnetic domain state so that linear response of the MR sensor remains substantially unchanged after each consecutive write field.