A memory cell and a method of fabricating the memory cell having a small active area are provided. By forming a spacer in a window that is sized at the photolithographic limit, in one embodiment, a pore may be formed in dielectric layer which is smaller than the photolithographic limit. Electrode material is deposited into the pore, and a layer of structure changing material, such as chalcogenide, is deposited onto the lower electrode, thus creating a memory element having an extremely small and reproducible active area.