Thin-film bridge electropyrotechnic initiator with a very low operating energy

Electropyrotechnic initiator (1) comprising:

• i) a container (2) having at least one weakened wall (8) and being closed by a solid body (3) of height h having a plane upper face (9) placed its entire height h, an electrically insulating structure (10);
• ii) two electrodes (12, 13) in the form of pins which pass completely through the said solid body, at least one of the two electrodes passing through the said insulating structure (10);
• iii) an electrical circuit (18) consisting of thin films deposited on a support (26) which is electrically non-conducting and is attached to the said plane upper face (9), the said electrical circuit being connected to the said electrodes (12, 13) and comprising a thin-film resistive heating element (17), the said circuit being covered by a pyrotechnic ignition composition (23);
• characterized in that:
• iv) the said support (26) has a thermal conductivity of less than 20 mW/cm. ° C.;
• v) the said resistive heating element (17) has a thickness of less than 1×10−6 m;
• and
• vi) the said pyrotechnic ignition composition (23) consists of a binder and of a primary explosive, the particle size of which is between 1×6−6 m and 30×10−6 m.