Structure and method for fabricating cladded conductive lines in magnetic memories

A method of forming a magnetoelectronic device includes forming a dielectric material surrounding a magnetic bit, etching the dielectric material to define an opening over the magnetic bit without exposing the magnetic bit, the opening having a sidewall, depositing a blanket layer of cladding material over the dielectric material, including over the sidewall, removing by a sputtering process the blanket layer in the bottom of the opening and the dielectric material over the magnetic bit, and forming a conductive material within the opening to form a bit line. This process reduces errors caused by process irregularities such as edges of the bits protruding and thereby causing defects in the cladding layer formed thereover. A bit line or digit line so formed may optionally be tapered at the ends to prevent magnetic reversal of the bit line magnetic moment that otherwise may occur due to external magnetic fields.