Sandia Corporation

United States of America As Represented by the Secretary of the Air Force

Eric J Welle

Sean P Madden

Randal L Schmitt

Paul T Vianco

Jeremy A Palmer

Alexander S Tappan

M Kathleen Alam

Keegan P Shelton

Stephen K Marley

Paul S Headley

Jason A Jarrell

J Emmett Garrity

A shaped lens for minimizing differences in time of arrival at the output surface of an explosive assembly. The lens is plano-convex with the convex shape oriented towards the explosive charge. The lens becomes monotonically thicker as the center of the lens is radially approached from the edge, according to a formula accounting for the detonation velocity of the explosive and velocity of the shockwave through the lens. The lens is preferably incorporated into a test fixture using a liquid explosive, such as nitromethane. The test fixture may be assembled on site, at the test location.

Lens for shaping an explosively generated shock

A monolithic exploding foil initiator (EFI) or slapper detonator and the method for making the monolithic EFI wherein the exploding bridge and the dielectric from which the flyer will be generated are integrated directly onto the header. In some embodiments, the barrel is directly integrated directly onto the header.

Monolithic exploding foil initiator

A slapper detonator which integrally incorporates an optical wavequide structure for determining whether there has been degradation of the explosive in the explosive device that is to be initiated by the detonator. Embodiments of this invention take advantage of the barrel-like character of a typical slapper detonator design. The barrel assembly, being in direct contact with the energetic material, incorporates an optical diagnostic device into the barrel assembly whereby one can monitor the state of the explosive material. Such monitoring can be beneficial because the chemical degradation of the explosive plays an important in achieving proper functioning of a detonator/initiator device.

Modular initiator with integrated optical diagnostic

A process for generating nanoscale particles of energetic materials, such as explosive materials, using ultrashort-pulse laser irradiation. The use of ultrashort laser pulses in embodiments of this invention enables one to generate particles by laser ablation that retain the chemical identity of the starting material while avoiding ignition, deflagration, and detonation of the explosive material.

Ultrashort-pulse laser generated nanoparticles of energetic materials

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Niceville, FL, United States of America

Eric J Welle