Mechanical fracture of piezoelectric single crystal chip resonator due to high input power

Chip resonators of LiTaO₃ and LiNbO₃ single crystals with a 4 MHz and 8 MHz shear mode chip resonators were selected for the test samples. The driving frequency was swept near the resonance frequency, the duration time was short enough to rise the resonant vibrations and the driving voltage increased in one-volt steps. The method is free from unstable temperature rises. Fracture limit values of the driving current were measured and transformed to the mechanical vibration velocity. A concavity in the crater state was observed at the center of the 16 MHz LiNbO₃ resonator due to high input power