Abstract: The invention is direct to a piezoelectric microcantilever for static contact and dynamic noncontact atomic force microscopy which may be carried out in solution. The piezoelectric microcantilever, which includes a piezoelectric layer and a non-piezoelectric layer is capable of self actuation and detection. The piezoelectric layer may be constructed from a lead magnesium niobate-lead titanate (Pb(Mg1/3Nb2/3)O3)0.65—(PbTiO3)0.35(PMN0.65-PT0.35)(PMN-PT), zirconate titanate (PZT)/SiO2 or from any lead-free piezoelectric materials such as doped sodium-potassium niobate-lithium niobate. The piezoelectric layers of the microcantilevers may have dielectric constants of from 1600-3000 and thicknesses below 10 ?m. Also disclosed are methods for fabricating microcantilever sensors and methods for atomic force microscopy employing the microcantilevers.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
November 28, 2007
Date of Patent:
August 9, 2011
Assignee:
Drexel University
Inventors:
Wan Y. Shih, Wei-Heng Shih, Zuyan Shen, Qing Zhu