Method for fabricating a magnetoresistive element comprising discontinuous interconnect segments

A method for fabricating the magnetoresistive element comprising a magnetic tunnel junction (MTJ) comprising a tunnel barrier layer sandwiched between a first ferromagnetic layer having a first magnetization and a second ferromagnetic layer having a second magnetization;

• a writing current layer extending in a layer plane substantially parallel to the layers the MTJ and contacting the second ferromagnetic layer, the writing current layer being configured for passing a writing current adapted for switching the second magnetization by a spin orbit torque interaction;
• and an interconnect layer configured for supplying the writing current to the writing current layer;
• wherein the writing current layer has substantially the same lateral dimension in the layer plane than that of the MTJ such that the MTJ and the writing current layer form a pillar;
• and wherein a gap is provided in the interconnect layer such that the latter comprises two discontinuous interconnect segments extending along a layer plane and connecting the writing current layer in series;
• the method comprising:
• depositing the interconnect layer, writing current layer, second ferromagnetic layer, tunnel barrier layer and first ferromagnetic layer;
• forming the gap in the interconnect layer;
• filling the gap with the gap material;
• forming the pillar by performing a single etch step until the interconnect layer, acting as a stop layer, is reached.