The present invention discloses a Micro-Electro-Mechanical systems (MEMS) device suitable for use in a range of applications from DC, such as switching electrical signal lines, to RF applications such as tunable capacitors and switches. In an embodiment of the invention, the device comprises a bottom substrate and a top substrate separated at a fixed distance from each other. Disposed between the substrates is a flexible S-shaped membrane having an electrode or an electrically conducting electrode layer with one end attached to the top substrate and the other end in contact with the bottom substrate. An electrically conducting contact block is attached to the underside of the membrane actuator for short circuiting a signal line when the switch is in the closed position. When a voltage is applied between the membrane and an electrode layer on the bottom substrate, the membrane is induced by electrostatic force to deflect in a rolling wave-like motion such that the contact block is displaced into contact with the signal line. The device can be actively opened when a voltage is applied between the membrane actuator and a electrode layer on the top substrate causing the contact block to displace upward breaking contact with the signal line. The MEMS switching device is applicable for use in a switch matrix board for automatically switching telephone lines or in RF applications in the form of a tunable capacitor. |