Self-limiting electrical triggering for initiating fracture of frangible glass

An apparatus, comprising:

• a frangible glass substrate comprising a glass surface;
• one or more electronic elements disposed on the frangible glass substrate;
• and
• a trigger mechanism disposed on the frangible glass substrate, the trigger mechanism comprising a self-limiting resistive element configured to generate a thermal pulse resulting in melting of a localized region of the glass surface, fracturing of the frangible glass substrate, and impairment of the one or more electronic elements;
• wherein the self-limiting resistive element is configured to generate the thermal pulse in response to termination of a trigger current that flows through the self-limiting resistive element.

A method of fracturing a frangible glass substrate comprising a glass surface, the method comprising:

• supplying power to a trigger mechanism disposed on the frangible glass substrate;
• generating a thermal pulse by a self-limiting resistive element of the trigger mechanism;
• and
• melting a localized region of the glass surface and fracturing the frangible glass substrate in response to the thermal pulse;
• wherein generating the thermal pulse comprises generating the thermal pulse in response to terminating a trigger current that flows through the self-limiting resistive element.