System and method for magnetic transducers having multiple sensors and AFC shields

A method for providing a magnetic read transducer having an air-bearing surface (ABS) location, the method comprising:

• providing a first shield, the step of providing the first shield optionally including annealing the first shield in a first magnetic field having a first direction, the first direction being a first angle from the ABS location;
• providing a first read sensor residing in a down track direction from the first shield, the step of providing the first read sensor including annealing the first read sensor and the first shield in a second magnetic field having a second direction at a second angle from the ABS location, the second direction being a desired first read sensor bias direction;
• providing an antiferromagnetically coupled (AFC) shield residing in a down track direction from the first read sensor, the AFC shield including a first plurality of ferromagnetic layers interleaved with at least a first nonmagnetic spacer layer and a first antiferromagnet, the first antiferromagnet adjoining one of the first plurality of ferromagnetic layers, the step of providing the AFC shield including annealing the AFC shield, the first read sensor and the first shield in a third magnetic field having a third direction at a third angle from the ABS location;
• providing a second read sensor, the AFC shield residing between the first read sensor and the second read sensor, the step of providing the second read sensor including annealing the first shield, the first read sensor, the AFC shield and the second read sensor in a fourth magnetic field having a fourth direction at a fourth angle from the ABS location, the fourth direction being a desired second read sensor bias direction;
• providing a second shield, the second shield including at least one ferromagnetic layer, the step of providing the second shield including annealing the first shield, the first read sensor, the AFC shield and the second read sensor in a fifth magnetic field having a fifth direction at a fifth angle from the ABS location, the fifth angle being selected based on a thickness and a desired AFC shield bias direction for the first antiferromagnet;
• providing an additional AFC shield residing in a down track direction from the second read sensor, the second read sensor being between the AFC shield and the additional AFC shield, the additional AFC shield including a second plurality of ferromagnetic layers interleaved with at least a second nonmagnetic spacer layer and a second antiferromagnet, the step of providing the additional AFC shield including annealing the additional AFC shield, the second read sensor, the AFC shield, the first read sensor and the first shield in a sixth magnetic field having a sixth direction at a sixth angle from the ABS location, the sixth direction being substantially equal to the third direction;
• and
• providing a third read sensor residing in a down track direction from the additional AFC shield, the additional AFC shield being between the second read sensor and the third read sensor, the third read sensor being between the additional AFC shield and the second shield, the step of providing the third read sensor including annealing the first shield, the first read sensor, the AFC shield, the second read sensor, the additional AFC shield and the third read sensor in a seventh magnetic field having a seventh direction at a seventh angle from the ABS location, the seventh direction being a desired third read sensor bias direction.

A method for providing a magnetic read transducer having an air-bearing surface (ABS) location, the method comprising:

• providing a first shield, the step of providing the first shield including annealing the first shield in a first magnetic field having a first direction, the first direction being at a first angle from the ABS location, the first angle being at least zero degrees and not more than fifty-five degrees from the ABS location;
• providing a first read sensor residing in a down track direction from the first shield, the step of providing the first read sensor including annealing the first read sensor and the first shield in a second magnetic field having a second direction at a second angle from the ABS location, the second direction being substantially perpendicular to the ABS location;
• providing a first antiferromagnetically coupled (AFC) shield residing in a down track direction from the first read sensor, the first AFC shield including a first plurality of ferromagnetic layers interleaved with at least a first nonmagnetic spacer layer and a first antiferromagnet, the first antiferromagnet adjoining one of the first plurality of ferromagnetic layers, the step of providing the AFC shield including annealing the AFC shield, the first read sensor and the first shield in a third magnetic field having a third direction at a third angle from the ABS location, the third angle being at least zero degrees and not more than fifty-five degrees from the ABS location;
• providing a second read sensor, the AFC shield residing between the first read sensor and the second read sensor, the step of providing the second read sensor including annealing the first shield, the first read sensor, the AFC shield and the second read sensor in a fourth magnetic field having a fourth direction at a fourth angle from the ABS location, the fourth direction being substantially perpendicular to the ABS location;
• and
• providing a second shield, the second shield being a second AFC coupled shield including a second plurality of ferromagnetic layers interleaved with at least a second nonmagnetic spacer layer and a second antiferromagnet, the step of providing the second shield including annealing the first shield, the first read sensor, the first AFC shield and the second read sensor in a fifth magnetic field having a fifth direction at a fifth angle from the ABS location, the fifth angle being at least zero degrees, not more than forty-five degrees, and different from the first angle and the third angle.