Laser-generated shock wave attenuation aimed at microscale pyrotechnic device design

To meet the rising demand for miniaturizing the pyrotechnic device that consists of donor/acceptor pair separated by a bulkhead or a thin gap, the shock initiation sensitivity in the microscale gap test configuration is investigated. For understanding the shock attenuation within a gap sample (304 stainless steel) thickness of 10∼800 μm, the laser-generated shock wave in water confinement is adopted. The shock properties are obtained from the free surface velocity by making use of a velocity interferometer system for any reflector (VISAR). Analytical models for plasma generation in a confined geometry and for evolution and decay of shock waves during the propagation are considered. The shape and amplitude of the laser-driven initial pressure load and its attenuation pattern in the gap are effectively controlled for targeting the microscale propagation distance and subsequent triggering pressure for the acceptor charge. The reported results are important in the precise controlling of the shock strength during the laser initiation of microscale pyrotechnic devices.