Piezo-actuated nanodiamond cantilever technology for high-speed applications

Diamond cantilever actuators show high resonance frequencies but need also high actuation forces, pointing towards piezoelectric actuation by a PZT/diamond unimorph. In this study lead zirconate titanate (Pb(Zr,Ti)O3, PZT) layers have been deposited onto nanocrystalline diamond films by sol–gel deposition, to realize high-speed MEMS actuators. The fabrication technology is based on self-aligned patterning and on optical lithography. A mechanical resonance frequency of 3.9 MHz has been obtained for 30 µm cantilever length dominated by the nanodiamond Young's modulus of approximately 1000 GPa.