Charge-trap based resistive switching (RS) has attracted attention in the resistive random-access memory (RRAM) industry due to its gradual RS behavior for multi-level and synaptic applications. In this work, in order to lower the operating current level closely related to device's degradation, we applied a hydrogen passivation to Zr 3 N 2 based RRAM devices and investigated the correlation between current level and trap density, such as an interface trap density (N it ) at the Zr 3 N 2 /p-Si layer and nitride trap density (N nt ) within Zr 3 N 2 films, for memory cells annealed in conventional N 2 gas as well as H 2 gas. Compared to the N 2 -annealed sample, after H 2 annealing, N it is lowered by the hydrogen passivation effect, which results in a reduction of both current level at high resistive state (HRS) and variation of HRS and low resistive state (LRS). As a result, in the H 2 annealed Zr 3 N 2 RRAM cell, we observed a lower operation voltage/current, longer endurance, and larger read margin due to the hydrogen passivation effect.INDEX TERMS Hydrogen passivation, rapid thermal annealing, resistive switching, self-rectifying, Zr 3 N 2 , nitride trap density, interface trap density.