Silicon micromachined ultrasonic micro-cutter

A silicon micromachined structure capable of producing large ultrasonic displacements (~40 μm) was fabricated. Such a device can be used as a surgical tool. The device uses a longitudinal resonance mode of thin silicon rectangular bars at frequencies in the range of 50 to 150 kHz. Silicon's acoustical and mechanical properties make it an ideal resonator material for the body of an ultrasonic cutter. Cutting edges sharper than the conventional needles can be produced by the anisotropic etching process. As a proof of concept, a human eye cataractous lens was dissected with a silicon cutter