Piezoelectric microcantilevers and uses in atomic force microscopy

摘要

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(Mg_1/3Nb_2/3)O₃)_0.65—(PbTiO₃)_0.35(PMN_0.65-PT_0.35)(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 μm. Also disclosed are methods for fabricating microcantilever sensors and methods for atomic force microscopy employing the microcantilevers.