Method for AFC shields for multiple sensor magnetic transducers and 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;
• providing a first read sensor residing in a down track direction from the first shield;
• providing an antiferromagnetically coupled (AFC) shield residing in the down track direction from the first read sensor, wherein the AFC shield includes a first plurality of ferromagnetic layers interleaved with at least a first nonmagnetic spacer layer and a first antiferromagnet, wherein the first antiferromagnet adjoins one of the first plurality of ferromagnetic layers;
• providing a second read sensor, wherein the AFC shield resides between the first read sensor and the second read sensor;
• providing a second shield, wherein the second shield includes at least one ferromagnetic layer;
• annealing at least the AFC shield in a magnetic field at an angle from the ABS location, wherein the angle is selected based on a thickness of the antiferromagnet and a desired AFC shield bias direction, the annealing resulting in the AFC shield being biased in the desired AFC shield bias direction, wherein the desired AFC shield bias direction is in a direction at least zero degrees and not more than forty-five degrees from the ABS location;
• providing an additional AFC shield residing in the down track direction from the second read sensor, wherein the second read sensor is between the AFC shield and the additional AFC shield, wherein the additional AFC shield includes a second plurality of ferromagnetic layers interleaved with at least a second nonmagnetic spacer layer and a second antiferromagnet, wherein providing the additional AFC shield includes annealing the additional AFC shield, the second read sensor, the AFC shield, the first read sensor and the first shield in an additional magnetic field having an additional direction at an additional angle from the ABS location;
• and
• providing a third read sensor residing in the down track direction from the additional AFC shield, wherein the additional AFC shield is between the second read sensor and the third read sensor, wherein the third read sensor is between the additional AFC shield and the second shield, wherein providing the third read sensor includes 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 another magnetic field having another direction at a second additional angle from the ABS location, wherein the other direction is a desired third read sensor bias direction.