Four sizes (1, 2, 5 and 10 μm wide) of single-crystal α-Ti micro-cantilevers were manufactured from polycrystalline commercially pure Ti samples using a focussed ion beam. A nanoindenter was used to conduct micro-bending tests. The crystal orientation and alignment of the micro-cantilever beams were selected so as to activate only a slip on prism planes. A crystal plasticity finite element model was used to simulate the deflection behaviour of the cantilevers. The critical resolved shear stresses (CRSS) were determined via a reverse process of fitting the simulation results to the experimental load-displacement curves. The CRSS increased from 144 MPa for the 10 μm wide cantilevers to 566 MPa for the 1 μm wide cantilevers. © 2011 Taylor & Francis.
