Enhancement of Semiconductor Bridge Initiators for Ignition of Large-Caliber Ammunition

Semiconductor bridge initiators (SCBI) have been proposed as a means of initiating the ballistic cycle in large-caliber ammunition. However, an ignition delay of more than 10 ms for a black powder basepad was not acceptable for multicomponent tank ammunition. Enhancement of the output from the SCBI was needed to reduce the ignition delay to acceptable levels. Early experiments in a small-caliber ammunition simulator suggested that if the energetic igniter material were confined around the SCBI, the ignition delay would be drastically reduced. This work presents the results obtained from a fabricated booster that, when initiated by an SCBI, reduces the ignition delay of black powder basepads to submillisecond intervals. Results obtained from replacing black powder in the basepad and/or booster with ball powder indicated that usage of ball powder is not appropriate except in the case of black powder in the booster and ball powder in the basepad. This combination provided a strong ignition stimulus with a marginal ignition delay for the basepad of about 12 ms. jg p.3