Energetic thin-film initiator

• US 20070169862A1
• Filed: 01/24/2006
• Published: 07/26/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 01/24/2006
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Lockheed Martin Corporation (Martin Marietta Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Lockheed Martin Corporation (Martin Marietta Corporation)
• Inventors: Hugus, George, Sheridan, Edward, Amos, Jon
• Application Number:
  US11/339,079
• Publication Number:
  US 20070169862A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 149/14
• CPC Class Codes: F42B 3/11 characterised by the material used, e.g. for initiator case or electric leads F42B3/107 takes precedence

Abstract

An energetic thin film initiator and a method of making same comprising providing a plurality of thin film layers of fuel, providing a plurality of thin film layers of oxidizer, at least one interposed between two of the thin layers of fuel, and providing an electrical input to the thin film layers that upon receipt of an electrical pulse causes ignition of layers of fuel and oxidizer.

Claims

1. An energetic thin film initiator comprising:

a plurality of thin film layers of fuel;

a plurality of thin film layers of oxidizer, at least one interposed between two of said thin layers of fuel; and

an electrical input to the thin film layers that upon receipt of an electrical pulse causes ignition of layers of fuel and oxidizer.

2. The initiator of claim 1 wherein said electrical input comprises a pair of conductive electrical leads.

3. The initiator of claim 1 additionally comprising a silicon wafer substrate for said thin film layers.

4. The initiator of claim 1 wherein an electrical pulse of less than or equal to approximately 2 watts causes ignition.

5. The initiator of claim 1 wherein a resultant temperature of said ignition is at least approximately 4600 degrees F.

6. The initiator of claim 1 wherein said thin film layers are tailored for one or more properties selected from the group consisting of stored chemical energy content, maximum achievable reaction temperature, maximum reaction rate, deposition thickness, and required deposition area.

7. The initiator of claim 1 wherein said thin film layers have a thickness of less than approximately 100 micrometers.

8. The initiator of claim 7 wherein said thin film layers have a thickness of less than approximately 100 nanometers.

9. The initiator of claim 1 wherein said ignition primarily results from free energy release associated with intermetallic reactions.

10. The initiator of claim 1 wherein said ignition primarily results from free energy release associated with oxidation-reduction reactions.

11. A method of making an energetic thin film initiator, the method comprising:

providing a plurality of thin film layers of fuel;

providing a plurality of thin film layers of oxidizer, at least one interposed between two of the thin layers of fuel; and

providing an electrical input to the thin film layers that upon receipt of an electrical pulse causes ignition of layers of fuel and oxidizer.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein the electrical input comprises a pair of conductive electrical leads.

13. The method of claim 11 additionally comprising the step of providing a silicon wafer substrate for the thin film layers.

14. The method of claim 11 wherein an electrical pulse of less than or equal to approximately 2 watts causes ignition.

15. The method of claim 11 wherein a resultant temperature of the ignition is at least approximately 4600 degrees F.

16. The method of claim 11 additionally comprising the step of tailoring the thin film layers for one or more properties selected from the group consisting of stored chemical energy content, maximum achievable reaction temperature, maximum reaction rate, deposition thickness, and required deposition area.

17. The method of claim 11 wherein the thin film layers have a thickness of less than approximately 100 micrometers.

18. The method of claim 17 wherein the thin film layers have a thickness of less than approximately 100 nanometers.

19. The method of claim 11 wherein the ignition primarily results from free energy release associated with intermetallic reactions.

20. The method of claim 11 wherein the ignition primarily results from free energy release associated with oxidation-reduction reactions.