Langasite as a piezoelectric material for near-field microscopy resonant cantilevers.
Quartz length-extension resonators have already been used to obtain atomically-resolved images by frequency-modulation atomic force microscopy. Other piezoelectric materials such as gallium orthophosphate (GaPO(4)), langatate (LGT), and langasite (LGS) could be appropriate for this application. In this paper, the advantages of langasite crystal are presented and the fabrication of similar microsensors in langasite temperature-compensated cuts by chemical etching is proved. A monolithic length extension resonator, with a tip at its end, is obtained which constitutes a real advantage in regard to the existing quartz devices.
Frequency and Time Department, Franche-Comte Electronique Mecanique, Thermique et Optique Sciences et Technologies, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Ecole Nationale Superieure de Mecanique et des Microtechniques, Universite de Franche-Comte, Besancon, France.
Gabrielle
G
Douchet
Fabrice
F
Sthal
Thérèse
T
Leblois
Emmanuel
E
Bigler