206 the ap pinned layer structure 204 includes an antiparallel coupling apc layer 208 which is located between first and second antiparallel ap pinned layers api and ap 2 210 and 212 the first ap pinned layer 210 is exchange coupled to an antiferromagnetic afm pinning layer 214 which pins a magnetic moment 216 of the first ap pinned layer perpendicular to the abs in a direction out of the sensor or into the sensor as shown in fig1 by a strong antiparallel coupling between the first and second ap pinned layers 210 and 212 a magnetic moment 218 of the second ap pinned layer is antiparallel to the magnetic moment 216 a seed layer structure 220 may be provided between the first read gap layer 76 and the pinning layer 214 for promoting a desirable microstructure of the layers deposited thereon the seed layer structure 220 may include first second and third seed layers s 1 s 2 and s 3 221 222 and 224 which will be discussed in more detail hereinafter the free layer structure preferably includes first and second free layers f 1 and f 2 226 and 228 and a cap layer 230 may be located on the free layer structure for protecting the spin valve sensor from subsequent processing steps the free layer structure has a magnetic moment 232 which is oriented parallel to the abs and to the major planes of the layers in a direction from right to left or from left to right as shown in fig1 when a signal field from the rotating magnetic disk rotates the magnetic moment 232 of the free layer into the sensor the magnetic moments 232 and 218 become more antiparallel which increases the resistance of the sensor to the sense current.