Nanobelts as nanocantilevers

Semiconducting oxide nanobelts of ZnO have been sectioned and manipulated, for microelectromechanical systems, using an atomic force microscopy probe. Structurally modified nanobelts demonstrate potential for nanocantilever based technologies. With dimensions ∼35–1800 times smaller than conventional cantilevers, the nanocantilevers are expected to have improved physical, chemical, and biological sensitivity for scanning probe microscopy and sensor applications.