Forming-free sol-gel ZrOx resistive switching memory

A forming-free sol-gel derived ZrOx resistive switching random access memory (RRAM) is demonstrated in this paper. The ZrOx layer after annealing at 400 °C in air shows a condensed poly-crystalline structure with a significant reduction in interstitial oxygen content. The ZrOx RRAM exhibits a remarkable memory window of 103 for 500 dc switching cycles. Retention characteristic is examined to confirm the non-volatile property. The carrier conduction and resistive switching mechanisms are explored. The ZrOx RRAMs are detailedly investigated by XRD, XPS, FTIR, and SEM.