Abstract: A process to make atomically sharp cutting devices is described. The process may provide for a cost effective and efficient technique of producing the atomically sharp cutting devices made from single crystal material such as, for example, sapphire, silicon carbide, silicon, and the like. The process may include identifying and choosing a preferred geometric orientation of the crystal material where cleavage can be promoted along a preferred natural plane of the single crystal material, thus ultimately producing an atomically sharp edge. The single crystal material may be covered at select surface locations by a photo-resist material arranged in a predetermined alignment with reference to the preferred plane to prevent etching at unexposed surface portions while permitting etching at exposed surface portions of the single crystal material. An atomic edge may be created by physical cleaving once the etching has reached a predetermined end-point.