Micromechanical relay with transverse slots

A micromechanical electrostatic relay, comprising:

• a base substrate having a base electrode layer and a base contact piece thereon;
• an armature substrate on the base substrate and having an armature spring tongue which is integrally attached at one end to the armature substrate and which is free to move at its opposite free end, said armature spring tongue having an armature electrode layer thereon and also an armature contact piece at said free end;
• said armature spring tongue having at least one layer thereon for generating a mechanical stress relative to a material of the armature substrate forming the armature spring tongue so that the spring tongue is bent away from said base substrate by a steady curvature in a quiescent condition and conforms to the base substrate in a working condition when a voltage is present between the base electrode layer and the armature electrode layer such that the base contact piece and said armature contact piece lie against one another;
• and
• said at least one layer generating said mechanical stress on the spring tongue being subdivided into strips by parallel slots proceeding transversely relative to an undesired curvature direction and running toward said free end.