Fabrication of piezoelectric micro-cantilevers in domain-engineered LiNbO3single crystals

Abstract
We report on a novel route for fabrication of micro-cantilevers in ferroelectric single-crystal lithium niobate (LiNbO3). Using the sequential techniques of photolithographic patterning, electric field poling, direct bonding and domain-oriented differential etching, free-standing cantilevers of dimensions 50 μm × 50 μm × 5 mm in the x, z and y crystallographic directions, respectively, have been fabricated.