Thermal infrared detector

A thermal infrared sensor array comprising:

• a plurality of resistive infrared devices connected to M row electrodes and N column electrodes;
• a plurality of first switches, each of the plurality of first switches comprising a first end connected to a first end of each of the plurality of resistive infrared devices and a second end connected to a corresponding row electrode line;
• a plurality of second switches, each of the plurality of second switches comprising a first end connected to a second end of each of the plurality of resistive infrared devices and a second end connected to a corresponding column electrode line;
• and
• a plurality of connection switches connected in series between adjacent resistive infrared devices among the plurality of resistive infrared devices, to group at least two adjacent resistive infrared devices in a row direction or a column direction.

A method of driving a thermal infrared sensor, the method comprising:

• turning a first switch on based on receiving an m-th row selection signal, the first switch being connected to a first end of each resistive infrared device among a plurality of resistive infrared devices in an m-th row and an n-th column;
• selectively turning a switch on based on a connection signal, the switch being connected between the plurality of resistive infrared devices, to electrically serially connect P×Q resistive infrared devices included from the m-th row to a (m+P−1) th row and from the n-th column to an (n+Q−1-) th column;
• turning a second switch on based on an (n+Q-1)-th column selection signal, the second switch being connected to a second end of each resistive infrared device among the plurality of resistive infrared devices in the (n+Q−1)-th column and from the m-th row to an (m+P−1)-th row;
• and
• obtaining series resistance of the P×Q resistive infrared devices, wherein m is a natural number less than M, n is a natural number less than N, P is a natural number less than M, Q is a natural number less than N, and both P and Q are not 1.