High moment wrap shields for magnetic read head to improve micro-magnetic read width

A magnetically stable, read sensor uses low-coercivity magnetic material without seed layers in side shields for longitudinal biasing in order to improve micro-magnetic read width of the sensor. The sensor is formed between an upper and lower shield and includes a symmetric pair of abutting side shields adjacent to the sides of the sensor. In one configuration the side shields are partially covered by a layer of high magnetic moment material that extends along a bottom surface and side surface of the side shields and is contiguous and conformal with the layer of insulating material, but does not cover the backside of the sensor. The high moment layer focuses flux at the sensor sides and also improves the micro-magnetic read width. The side shields include a multiplicity of horizontal ferromagnetic layers that are antiferromagnetically coupled to each other and magnetically coupled to the upper shield.