Improvements in Resistive and Capacitive Switching Behaviors in GaO Memristors via High-Temperature Annealing Process.

This study investigates the effect of a high-temperature annealing process on the characteristics and performance of a memristor based on a Ag/GaO/Pt structure. Through X-ray diffraction analysis, successful phase conversion from amorphous GaO to β-GaO is confirmed, attributed to an increase in grain size and recrystallization induced by annealing. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy analysis revealed a higher oxygen vacancy in annealed GaO thin films, which is crucial for conductive filament formation and charge transport in memristors. Films with abundant oxygen vacancies exhibit decreased set voltages and increased capacitance in a low-resistive state, enabling easy capacitance control depending on channel presence. In addition, an excellent memory device with a high on/off ratio can be implemented due to the reduction of leakage current due to recrystallization. Therefore, it is possible to manufacture a thin film suitable for a memristor by increasing the oxygen vacancy in the GaO film while improving the overall crystallinity through the annealing process. This study highlights the significance of annealing in modulating capacitance and high-resistive/low-resistive state properties of GaO memristors, contributing to optimizing device design and performance. This study underscores the significance of high-temperature annealing in improving the channel-switching characteristics of GaO-based memristors, which is crucial for the development of low-power, high-efficiency memory device.