Process for providing a magnetic recording transducer having a smooth magnetic seed layer

A method for providing a magnetic recording transducer having a magnetic seed layer comprising:

• providing a substrate;
• providing a magnetic shield having a first top surface above the substrate;
• treating the first top surface by a first plasma treatment performed at a first power;
• depositing an amorphous ferromagnetic (FM) layer on and in contact with the first top surface, the amorphous FM layer deposited to a thickness of at least 5 Angstroms and not more than 50 Angstroms;
• reducing the thickness of the amorphous FM layer by a second plasma treatment performed at a second power;
• providing a magnetic seed sublayer on and in contact with the amorphous FM layer, the magnetic seed layer including the amorphous FM layer and the magnetic seed sublayer;
• providing a nonmagnetic spacer layer above the magnetic seed sublayer;
• providing an antiferromagnetic (AFM) layer above the spacer layer;
• and
• providing a plurality of layers including a pinned layer, a reference layer, a barrier layer and a free layer of a read sensor above the AFM layer.