Abstract: A magnetic material structure is provided according to the present invention that is capable of being lithographically patterned for various uses, such as, but not limited to, magnetic read/write devices. The magnetic material structure includes a layer of magnetic material provided on a wafer or other substrate, a layer of non-magnetic material provided on top of the layer of magnetic material, and a layer of soft magnetic material provided on top of the layer of non-magnetic material. The magnetic material which is to be patterned will have a magnetic field component normal to a plane of the layer of magnetic material. To minimize the effect this normal magnetic field component will have on electrons as they impinge the structure surface during e-beam lithography, the soft magnetic material has a high-plane permeability sufficient to divert the normal magnetic field component of the magnetic material into a plane of the layer of soft magnetic material.