Stable resistive switching characteristics of Ce:HfO_x film induced by annealing process

In this work, Ce:HfO_x films were fabricated and the resistive switching characteristics were investigated. The chemical bonding states of the films were explored by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. The annealing process was carried out to modulate the concentration of oxygen vacancies in the film to confirm the dominant role of oxygen vacancies on resistive switching behaviors, which resulted in the elimination of unstable oxygen vacancies and the introduction of oxygen vacancy near Ce dopants due to the reduction of Ce⁴⁺. Benefiting from the oxygen vacancies near Ce dopants, stable resistive switching performance can be achieved for the annealed Ce:HfO_x sample. A schematic diagram based on the formation and rupture of oxygen vacancy filaments was proposed to illustrate the switching behaviors of annealed Ce:HfO_x sample.