1. A non-volatile solid state resistive switching device comprising: a first electrode being a source of ions; a planar doped silicon second electrode; and a non-crystalline silicon layer having a resistance and being positioned to receive the ions from the first electrode wherein the ions are driven into the non-crystalline silicon layer to form a conducting filament from the first electrode to the second electrode to alter the resistance of the non-crystalline silicon layer when an electrical potential between the electrodes is greater than a first threshold electrical potential.