A method of treating a substrate in manufacturing a magnetoresistive memory cell includes performing a cleaning operation on the substrate using a mask layer as a protection layer for etching of a peripheral via. In general, intrinsic conduction is promoted by determining when electromechanical systole ends and setting an AV interval accordingly. Proportional-integral-derivative logic of a controller is used to introduce a calibrated error into a pressure command to the offgoing clutch during fill of the oncoming clutch.