Resistor array devices including switch contacts operated by microelectromechanical actuators and methods for fabricating the same

An integrated circuit resistor network comprising:

• an integrated circuit substrate;
• a plurality of resistors on the integrated circuit substrate;
• a plurality of switches on the integrated circuit substrate, each of the switches being electrically coupled in series with an associated one of the plurality of resistors;
• a plurality of microelectromechanical actuators, each of the microelectromechanical actuators comprising spaced apart supports on the integrated circuit substrate and a beam that extends between the spaced apart supports and that expands upon application of heat thereto to thereby cause displacement of the beam between the spaced apart supports and each of the microelectromechanical actuators being coupled to one of the plurality of switches;
• and
• a controller electrically coupled to the plurality of microelectromechanical actuators that selectively activates at least one of the plurality of microelectromechanical actuators to toggle the associated one of the switches coupled to the at least one of the plurality of microelectromechanical actuators.

A digital potentiometer integrated on an integrated circuit substrate comprising:

• a plurality of film resistors on the integrated circuit substrate;
• a plurality of microrelay switches on the integrated circuit substrated;
• a respective resistor and switch being coupled between first and second reference terminals of the digital potentiometer;
• and
• a control circuit that selectively activates one of the plurality of microrelay switches to provide a desired resistance between the first and second reference voltage pins of the digital potentiometer;
• and
• wherein the microrelay switches are thermal relays including a heater element comprising a region of a resistive material on the integrated circuit substrate and wherein the plurality of film resistors each comprise a region of the resistive material on the integrated circuit substrate.

A microelectromechanical structure including a resistor array comprising:

• an integrated circuit substrate;
• a plurality of thermal actuators on the integrated circuit substrate;
• and
• a resistive layer on the integrated circuit substrate defining a plurality of heaters, each of the heaters being associated with one of the plurality of thermal actuators and further defining a plurality of resistors of the resistor array, the plurality of resistors being electrically coupled to the thermal actuators.