Kaman Aerospace Corporation

Andrew Turano

Dale L Spencer

An exploding thin film bridge fracturing fragment detonator comprises a base layer with a bridge layer vapor deposited, e.g., sputtered, thereon. The bridge layer is comprised of an electrically conductive material and includes a bridge portion which interconnects significantly larger portions of this layer. An inorganic insulating layer of rigid fracturing material is vapor deposited, e.g. sputtered, on the bridge layer. A flyer layer is vapor deposited on the insulating layer, whereby the flyer layer is insulated electrically and/or thermally from the bridge layer. The flyer layer is sputtered directly over the bridge portion and is of a mass sufficient for at least a portion of the flyer layer and any associated insulating material that is fractured off therewith to be sufficiently propelled by an explosion of the bridge so as to cause the initiation by shock of a designated acceptor explosive (i.e., a secondary explosive). During use, a sufficient current is passed through the bridge portion to result in a rapid vaporization of the bridge portion. The expanding gas and magnetic field from this vaporization of the bridge portion causes a portion of the insulating layer and flyer layer to burst from the assembly as that portion of the insulating layer is fractured by the vaporizing bridge below and to accelerate rapidly away from the base at a velocity sufficient for detonation of the secondary explosive material which is located at a fixed distance from the flyer layer. Usually this separation distance is maintained by a layer overlaying the device with an opening over the flyer. This layer is commonly referred to as the barrel as it has some analogy to the barrel of a gun.

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Wallingford, CT, United States of America

Andrew Turano