A first insulated planar metallic surface is formed under a surface of a substrate which is orientated a first way to an edge of the substrate. A Faraday shield is formed when a second insulated planar metallic surface is juxtaposed to and segregates the first insulated planar metallic surface from the remained of the substrate. The first way can be parallel or perpendicular forming either an edge or surface Coulomb island, respectively. Both planar surfaces can be charged either by mechanical contact or induced charging, Fowler-Nordheim and ion implantation. A Coulomb force is generated between two charged Coulomb islands each located on a different substrate. In addition, these Coulomb islands can also be used as capacitors to transfer signals between the substrates. The Faraday shield can be used to increase the Coulomb force while the potential applied to the shield can alter the Coulomb force.