PyroMEMS as Future Technological Building Blocks for Advanced Microenergetic Systems.

Jean-Laurent Pouchairet,Carole Rossi

doi:10.3390/mi12020118

Abstract

For the past two decades, many research groups have investigated new methods for reducing the size and cost of safe and arm-fire systems, while also improving their safety and reliability, through batch processing. Simultaneously, micro- and nanotechnology advancements regarding nanothermite materials have enabled the production of a key technological building block: pyrotechnical microsystems (pyroMEMS). This building block simply consists of microscale electric initiators with a thin thermite layer as the ignition charge. This microscale to millimeter-scale addressable pyroMEMS enables the integration of intelligence into centimeter-scale pyrotechnical systems. To illustrate this technological evolution, we hereby present the development of a smart infrared (IR) electronically controllable flare consisting of three distinct components: (1) a controllable pyrotechnical ejection block comprising three independently addressable small-scale propellers, all integrated into a one-piece molded and interconnected device, (2) a terminal function block comprising a structured IR pyrotechnical loaf coupled with a microinitiation stage integrating low-energy addressable pyroMEMS, and (3) a connected, autonomous, STANAG 4187 compliant, electronic sensor arming and firing block.

Highlights

In 1995, the pyroMEMS concept, which involves the integration of energetic material on an electronic chip, was introduced for medical applications using mechanical power derived from the combustion of a propellant [1] to inject drugs through the skin [2]
We close each chamber with a shoulable 5 × 2.2 mm pyroMEMS [53,58] (Figure 4) with initiation-composition-filled grooves dered aluminum disk hot-seal a prefragmented aluminized polymer lid on top of thean on the sides of a metal-polymer pyrotechnical loaf, whose surfaces are coated with plastic piece to ensure air and hot-gas tightness
The light produced by the pyrotechnical loaf lasts 57.5 ms when pyroMEMS are ignited sequentially with 25 ms delay between each

Summary

Introduction

In 1995, the pyroMEMS concept, which involves the integration of energetic material on an electronic chip, was introduced for medical applications using mechanical power derived from the combustion of a propellant [1] to inject drugs through the skin [2]. An alternative technique for creating high-density, highinterface surface area composites is utilizing nanolaminates, wherein nanosized layers of the oxidizer and the metal are deposited on top of each other using vacuum vapor deposurface area composites is utilizing nanolaminates, wherein nanosized layers of the oxidizer sition techniques [47,48] These nanolaminate materials have a highly controllable archiand the metal are deposited on top of each other using vacuum vapor deposition techtecture and are compatible withThese. Our goalhow is topyroMEMS illustrate how andmaterials nanothermite materials can enable the integration intelligence centimeter-scale pyrotechnical systems by can enableof the integrationinto of intelligence into centimeter-scale pyrotechnical systems by presenting the development of development a smart and miniaturized infrared (IR) flare (1′ 1’’(IR).

Smart Flare Design

Block Fabrication and Testing

Device Integration and Concept Validation

Device and Concept

Conclusions