Resistive Switching for MEMS Devices

A method of operating a MEMS device, the method comprising:

• applying a first DC voltage to a base portion of at least one anchor structure of a bolometer, the bolometer including a suspension portion that extends over a sensing region on a silicon wafer, the at least one anchor structure extending upwardly from a patterned conductive layer on the silicon wafer to space the suspension portion a predetermined distance apart from an upper surface of the silicon wafer, at least the base portion of the at least one anchor structure being formed by a layer stack comprising a bottom insulator layer and a top conductive layer, the bottom insulator layer being arranged adjacent the patterned conductive layer and being interposed between the top conductive layer and the patterned conductive layer such that there is no direct contact between the top conductive layer and the patterned conductive layer, wherein the base portion of the at least one anchor structure is configured as a resistive switch such that, when the first DC voltage is applied, the base portion transitions from a high resistive state to a low resistive state,
• wherein, when in the high resistive state, the base portion has a resistance that substantially prevents current flow between the top conductive layer and the patterned conductive layer, and
• wherein, when in the low resistive state, the base portion of the at least one anchor structure forms an ohmic contact between the top conductive layer and the patterned conductive layer such that enables current to flow between the top conductive layer and the patterned conductive layer.

A focal-plane-array of bolometers comprising:

• an array of bolometers having a predetermined number of rows and a predetermined number of columns, each of the bolometers including:
• a suspension portion that extends over a sensing region on a silicon wafer and at least one anchor structure extending upwardly from a patterned conductive layer on the silicon wafer to space the suspension portion a predetermined distance apart from an upper surface of the silicon wafer, the at least one anchor structure including a base portion formed by a layer stack comprising a bottom insulator layer and a top conductive layer, the bottom insulator layer being arranged adjacent the patterned conductive layer and being interposed between the top conductive layer and the patterned conductive layer such that there is no direct contact between the top conductive layer and the patterned conductive layer,
• wherein the base portion of the at least one anchor structure is configured as a resistive switch such that, when a SET voltage is applied, the base portion transitions from a high resistive state to a low resistive state, and when a RESET voltage is applied, the base portion transitions from the low resistive state to a high resistive state,
• wherein, when in the high resistive state, the base portion has a resistance that substantially prevents current flow between the top conductive layer and the patterned conductive layer,
• wherein, when in the low resistive state, the base portion of the at least one anchor structure forms an ohmic contact between the top conductive layer and the patterned conductive layer such that enables current to flow between the top conductive layer and the patterned conductive layer, and
• a control circuit electrically connected to array of bolometers by a plurality of word lines and a plurality of bit lines, each of the rows of bolometers being electrically interconnected to each other and to the control circuit by one of the word lines and each of the columns of bolometers being electrically interconnected by one of the bit lines,
• wherein the control circuit is configured to selectively apply the SET voltage and the RESET voltage to the plurality of word lines and the plurality of bit lines to switch the bolometers in the array on and off in desired patterns.