A process and device is disclosed for etching a magnetroresistive random access memory device which includes at least one magnetic tunnel junction stack structure which includes an insulating layer disposed between first and second magnetic layers. The process includes the step of contacting a substrate with a chlorine containing plasma at a temperature no greater than 30 degrees Centigrade under conditions effective to convert at least a portion of the first and second magnetic layers and the insulating layer into metal chlorides. Next, the resulting product of the contacting step is treated with an organic solvent under conditions effective to remove the metal chlorides. The treatment can include rinsing away the metal chlorides either by dissolving the metal chlorides, or by reacting the metal chlorides with a reactive organic solvent, or both.