A nanoelectromechanical tunneling current switch includes a cantilevered nanofilament including a secured end and an unsecured end and a conductor with a surface substantially perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the nanofilament when the nanofilament is undeflected. The nanofilament is positioned with respect to the conductor to define a gap between the unsecured end of the nanofilament and the surface of the conductor substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the nanofilament. The nanofilament and the conductor are electrically connected by a circuit, and a tunneling current is configured to flow from the nanofilament to the surface of the conductor substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the nanofilament. In other embodiments of the nanoelectromechanical tunneling current switch, an electrically conductive membrane can be utilized in place of, or in addition to, the cantilevered nanofilament.