Abstract: A semiconductor memory device designed to mitigate degradation due to heat, and methods of forming such a device, are described. In one example, a memory cell in a memory device includes an insulating layer formed over a substrate, a horizontal crossbar electrode formed over the insulating layer, a metal oxide resistive memory layer formed over the horizontal crossbar electrode, and a vertical crossbar electrode formed over the resistive switching memory layer. In one aspect of the embodiments, the horizontal crossbar electrode includes a thermally conductive horizontal crossbar layer formed over the insulating layer and a platinum horizontal crossbar electrode formed over the thermally conductive horizontal crossbar layer. The thermally conductive horizontal crossbar layer can be a layer of copper for thermal dissipation of heat away from the memory cell during set and reset operations, reducing degradation in the memory device.