Arrangement and method for increasing the functional safety of an opto-pyrotechnic initiator

An apparatus comprising:

• an opto-pyrotechnic initiator, in which a pyrotechnic mixture can be ignited by laser radiation;
• at least one laser which emits the laser radiation;
• and
• an optical fibre, via which the laser radiation is guided to the opto-pyrotechnic initiator,
• wherein an optical filter element having power-dependent or intensity-dependent transmission or reflection for the laser radiation is arranged in a beam path of the laser radiation between the laser and an initiating impingement location of the laser radiation in the opto-pyrotechnic initiator,
• the filter element is selected, and a beam of the laser radiation is guided in such a way through the filter element that for a laser power of the at least one laser by which an initiation is to be effected in the opto-pyrotechnic initiator in the arrangement, the filter element has a higher transmission or reflection, or can be switched to a higher transmission or reflection by applying an optical signal or an electronic signal that is independent of the laser radiation than at a lower laser power, wherein the optical signal is laser radiation from at least one further laser, which is coupled into the filter element in such a way that the higher transmission or reflection with the laser power of the at least one laser required to effect the initiation is only attained by superimposing the laser radiation of the at least one laser with the laser radiation of the at least one further laser in the filter element.

An apparatus comprising:

• an opto-pyrotechnic initiator, in which a pyrotechnic mixture can be ignited by laser radiation;
• at least one laser which emits the laser radiation;
• and
• an optical fibre, via which the laser radiation is guided to the opto-pyrotechnic initiator,
• wherein an optical filter element having power-dependent or intensity-dependent transmission or reflection for the laser radiation is arranged in a beam path of the laser radiation between the laser and an initiating impingement location of the laser radiation in the opto-pyrotechnic initiator,
• the filter element is selected, and a beam of the laser radiation is guided in such a way through the filter element that for a laser power of the at least one laser by which an initiation is to be effected in the opto-pyrotechnic initiator in the arrangement, the filter element has a higher transmission or reflection, or can be switched to a higher transmission or reflection by applying an optical signal or an electronic signal that is independent of the laser radiation than at a lower laser power, wherein the optical filter element includes a combination of an optically non-linear medium that has power-dependent or intensity-dependent focusing or defocusing properties, and a following shutter on the beam path of the laser radiation which allows the laser radiation to pass unobstructed only with focusing by means of the non-linear medium.

An apparatus comprising:

• an opto-pyrotechnic initiator, in which a pyrotechnic mixture can be ignited by laser radiation;
• at least one laser which emits the laser radiation;
• and
• an optical fibre, via which the laser radiation is guided to the opto-pyrotechnic initiator,
• wherein an optical filter element having power-dependent or intensity-dependent transmission or reflection for the laser radiation is arranged in a beam path of the laser radiation between the laser and an initiating impingement location of the laser radiation in the opto-pyrotechnic initiator,
• the filter element is selected, and a beam of the laser radiation is guided in such a way through the filter element that for a laser power of the at least one laser by which an initiation is to be effected in the opto-pyrotechnic initiator in the arrangement, the filter element has a higher transmission or reflection, or can be switched to a higher transmission or reflection by applying an optical signal or an electronic signal that is independent of the laser radiation than at a lower laser power,
• wherein the optical filter element includes a thin-film reflector, whose reflectivity changes thermally by a phase transition.