Dynamically forced cantilever system: A piezo-polymer characterization tool with possible application for micromechanical HF resonator devices

A cantilever system, driven to a dynamically forced oscillation by a small piezoelectric specimen is presented as a simple and accurate tool to determine the converse dynamic piezocoefficient up to several kHz. The piezoelectric sample is mounted on top of a reflective cantilever where it is free to oscillate without any mechanical constraint. A Nomarsky-interferometer detects the induced cantilever displacement. The presented technique is especially suited for a precise characterization of small and soft piezoelectric polymer-samples with rough surfaces. The capability of the dynamically forced cantilever principle is demonstrated with a LiNbO₃ crystal and with a porous ferroelectretic polypropylene foam. Results from measurements between 400 Hz and 5 kHz were found to be in excellent agreement with published values. Additionally, the dynamically forced cantilever principle may possibly improve the sensitivity of some micromechanical cantilever-sensors and it could also be interesting for the design of enhanced micromechanical high frequency mixer filters. Some ideas about are briefly presented.