Patent ID: 7523543

Claim:
A method of forming a magnetic memory device, the method comprising: forming a digit line on a substrate and forming a capping pattern on the digit line so that the digit line is between the capping pattern and the substrate; forming a conformal ferromagnetic layer on sidewalls of the digit line and on sidewalls of the capping pattern; anisotropic etching the conformal ferromagnetic layer to form a ferromagnetic spacer on sidewalls of the digit line and on sidewalls of the capping pattern, wherein the capping pattern includes an insulation pattern and a mask pattern on the insulation pattern, and wherein the mask pattern comprises a layer of a metal-containing material having an etch selection ratio with respect to the ferromagnetic spacer; forming a first insulating layer covering the digit line, the capping pattern and the ferromagnetic spacer; forming a magnetic tunnel junction pattern (MTJ pattern) on the first insulating layer so that the first insulating layer is between the MTJ pattern and the capping pattern and so that portions of the digit line and the capping pattern are aligned between the MTJ pattern and the substrate in a direction perpendicular with respect to a surface of the substrate; forming a second insulating layer covering the first insulating layer and MTJ pattern; and forming a bit line on the second insulating layer, wherein the bit line is electrically connected to the MTJ pattern.