In this research, 2‐dimensional PZT cantilever array with integrated heaters and piezoelectric sensors, called, ‘thermo‐piezoelectric’ cantilever has been fabricated, and studied for thermo‐mechanical writing and piezoelectric readback on a polymer film for high speed and low power SPM (Scanning Probe Microscopy) based nano‐data‐storage system. Power consumption could be considerably low in read/write process due to new piezoelectric readback method and the selection of low Tgpolymer media. The sensitivity of 0.22 fC/nm is obtained. The silicon cantilever with piezoelectric sensor was used to obtain charge readback signal using the pattern SiO2with 100‐nm depth. To improve the data rates, we have developed and fabricated a (100×100) 2‐D thermo‐piezoelectric cantilever array for parallel operation and we introduce a simple equivalent model of PZT sensor for estimating data rate of thermo‐piezoelectric cantilever and circuit analysis is accomplished using this model. © 2003 American Institute of Physics