ELECTRONIC DEVICES AND THERMAL IMAGE SENSORS THAT UTILIZE EMBEDDED QUANTUM DOTS

Integrated circuit devices include thermal image sensors that utilize quantum dots therein to provide negative resistance characteristics to at least portions of the sensors. The thermal image sensor may include a sensing unit configured to absorb radiation incident on a first surface thereof and first and second electrodes electrically coupled to the sensing unit. The sensing unit includes a plurality of quantum dots therein, which may extend between the first and second electrodes. These quantum dots may be configured to impart a negative resistance characteristic to the sensing unit. In particular, the sensing unit may include a sensing layer having first and second opposing ends, which are electrically coupled to the first and second electrodes, respectively, and the plurality of quantum dots may be distributed within the sensing layer.