Electrostatically actuated micro-mechanical switching device

The present invention relates to an electrostatically actuated micro-mechanical switching device (1) with movable elements formed in the bulk of a substrate (15) for closing and releasing at least one Ohmic contact by a horizontal movement of the movable elements in a plane of the substrate (15); the switching device (1) comprising: a drive with comb-shaped electrodes (2,3), wherein the electrodes (2,3) comprise fixed driving electrodes (2) and movable electrodes (3); a movable push rod (4) being mechanically connected with the movable electrodes (3) and extending through the electrodes (2,3); a movable contact element being mechanically connected with one side of the push rod (4); at least one restoring spring (5) being mechanically connected with the push rod (4); a signal line (7) and a ground line (13), wherein the signal line (7) comprises two parts (7a,7b) being interrupted by a gap (10). It is the object of the present invention to provide a micro-mechanical switching device (1) in shunt-configuration with low loss, high isolation in a wide frequency range, low switch time at low actuation voltage and sufficient reliability, wherein the switching device is designed that way that the line impedance of the signal line and its variation is as small as possible. The object is solved by an electrostatically actuated micro-mechanical switching device (1) of the above mentioned type wherein the switching device (1) is in shunt-configuration for closing and releasing the Ohmic contact between the ground line (13) and the signal line (7), wherein the contact element comprises a movable contact beam (6) extending at least partially opposite to the signal line (7) and being electrically and mechanically connected to both parts (7a,7b) of the signal line (7), respectively; the ground line (13) comprises at least one contact bar (12) leading through the gap (10) of the signal line (7) for forming the Ohmic contact between the contact beam (6) and the ground line (13); and a contact metallization (14) is provided at least on top and on the side walls of the contact beam (6), of the signal line (7) and of the ground line (13).