Patent ID: 8182703

Claim:
A method for manufacturing a tuning fork resonator element having a base portion, first and second resonating arms extending from the base portion in a first direction, a support frame sandwiching the first and second resonating arms and being connected to the base portion, a first excitation electrode, and a second excitation electrode, the method comprising: an external shape forming step for etching a wafer to form an external shape of the tuning fork resonator element; a metal film forming step for forming a metal film on the surface of the wafer; a resist application step for applying a resist on the surface of the metal film; a light exposure step for exposing the resist to light by the first and second excitation electrodes patterns; and an electrode forming step for forming the first and second excitation electrodes by etching a part of the metal film; wherein the external shape forming step includes a step of forming a cut portion on an external surface of the support frame, wherein the cut portion includes a first slope which extends in one direction of the support frame, and a second slope which extends in another direction of the support frame, wherein the resist application step includes steps of exposing light to the resist formed on the metal film on the first slope from the one direction, and exposing light to the resist formed on the metal film on the second slope from the other direction, and wherein the electrode forming step includes steps of etching the metal film on the first slope and the metal film on the second slope, and disconnecting the first and second excitation electrodes formed on the cut portion.