Effects of annealing temperature on the resistance switching behaviour of solution-processed ZnO thin films

Abstract In this study, the resistance switching (RS) behaviour of the fabricated devices with the configuration: ITO/ZnO (x annealing temperature)/Al were investigated. It was observed that the area of a hysteresis loop in the Current-Voltage characteristics was reduced with increase in ZnO annealing temperature. Correspondingly, the on/off ratio of the RS also gets reduced. The hysteresis behaviour was highly consistent and repeatable for the films annealed at 1500C. The films annealed at 4500C did not show any RS behaviour. Under the high current condition, a reproducible RS behaviour was observed. This was attributed to the synergetic effects of lowering of the barrier height at electrode/ZnO interface and the increase in the grain size with the annealing temperatures. The RS behaviour is ascribed to the conduction mechanism at the ITO/ZnO interface.