A method is provided for forming a metal/semiconductor/metal (MSM) current limiter and resistance memory cell with an MSM current limiter. The method provides a substrate; forms an MSM bottom electrode overlying the substrate; forms a ZnOx semiconductor layer overlying the MSM bottom electrode, where x is in the range between about 1 and about 2, inclusive; and, forms an MSM top electrode overlying the semiconductor layer. The ZnOx semiconductor can be formed through a number of different processes such as spin-coating, direct current (DC) sputtering, radio frequency (RF) sputtering, metalorganic chemical vapor deposition (MOCVD), or atomic layer deposition (ALD).