Method and system for providing an improved hard bias structure

A method for providing a magnetic transducer comprising:

• defining a magnetoresistive sensor in a track width direction, the magnetoresistive sensor including a plurality of sides and having a sensor thickness;
• providing an insulating layer, a portion of the insulating layer covering the plurality of sides of the magnetoresistive sensor;
• providing at least one hard bias material, the portion of the insulating layer residing between the magnetoresistive sensor and a first portion of the at least one hard bias material in the track width direction;
• providing at least one sacrificial capping layer on a second portion of the at least one hard bias material, the at least one sacrificial capping layer being an insulator and having a first height in a stripe height direction substantially perpendicular to the track width direction and a thickness, the at least one sacrificial capping layer adjoining the at least one hard bias material;
• providing a metallic hard bias capping layer on the at least one sacrificial capping layer;
• providing a mask for defining a stripe height of the magnetoresistive sensor in the stripe height direction, a portion of the mask residing on a portion of the magnetoresistive sensor, the mask having a second height in the stripe height direction, the second height being less than the first height;
• and
• defining the stripe height of the magnetoresistive sensor while the portion of the mask covers the portion of the magnetoresistive sensor, the magnetoresistive sensor having a first removal rate in the step of defining the stripe height, the at least one sacrificial capping layer having a second removal rate in the step of defining the stripe height, the thickness being configured based on the first removal rate, the second removal rate, and the sensor thickness to prevent removal of the second portion of the at least one hard bias material during the step of defining the stripe height.