A method of forming a magnetic tunnel junction, MTJ, cell, comprising the subsequent steps of: (a) providing a MTJ stack of layers on a substrate wherein the MTJ stack of layers comprises a reference layer, a free layer, a tunnel barrier layer between the reference layer and free layer, and an uppermost capping layer; (b) forming a carbon hard mask layer on the capping layer, and an opening with a first width in the carbon hard mask layer, wherein the opening is formed by sequentially forming a silicon containing hard mask, HM, layer, and a photoresist layer on the carbon hard mask layer, patterning the photoresist layer to yield a plurality of openings therein, and transferring the openings through the silicon containing HM layer and the carbon hard mask layer with a plurality of reactive ion etch, RIE, steps (40,41); (c) filling the opening with a top electrode, TE, material and performing a chemical mechanical polish, CMP, process to give a TE pillar with a top surface coplanar with a top surface of the carbon hard mask layer at a first height (h1'); (d) removing the carbon hard mask layer; (e) trimming the TE pillar such that the TE pillar has a width ≤ 60 nm and a thickness proximate to 100 nm; and (f) performing one or more MTJ etch steps to transfer a shape of the TE pillar through the MTJ stack of layers and stopping on the substrate thereby forming a first sidewall (23s2) on the TE pillar that is coplanar with a second sidewall on a MTJ cell and wherein the MTJ cell and TE pillar each have a first critical dimension, CD, of < 60 nm in a widthwise direction (x), a second CD (b) in a lengthwise direction (y), and each TE pillar has a thickness of ≥ 70 nm in a vertical direction (z). (a) providing a MTJ stack of layers on a substrate wherein the MTJ stack of layers comprises a reference layer, a free layer, a tunnel barrier layer between the reference layer and free layer, and an uppermost capping layer; (b) forming a carbon hard mask layer on the capping layer, and an opening with a first width in the carbon hard mask layer, wherein the opening is formed by sequentially forming a silicon containing hard mask, HM, layer, and a photoresist layer on the carbon hard mask layer, patterning the photoresist layer to yield a plurality of openings therein, and transferring the openings through the silicon containing HM layer and the carbon hard mask layer with a plurality of reactive ion etch, RIE, steps (40,41); (c) filling the opening with a top electrode, TE, material and performing a chemical mechanical polish, CMP, process to give a TE pillar with a top surface coplanar with a top surface of the carbon hard mask layer at a first height (h1'); (d) removing the carbon hard mask layer; (e) trimming the TE pillar such that the TE pillar has a width ≤ 60 nm and a thickness proximate to 100 nm; and (f) performing one or more MTJ etch steps to transfer a shape of the TE pillar through the MTJ stack of layers and stopping on the substrate thereby forming a first sidewall (23s2) on the TE pillar that is coplanar with a second sidewall on a MTJ cell and wherein the MTJ cell and TE pillar each have a first critical dimension, CD, of < 60 nm in a widthwise direction (x), a second CD (b) in a lengthwise direction (y), and each TE pillar has a thickness of ≥ 70 nm in a vertical direction (z).