Simulation on Transient Heat Response Characteristics of Thin-film Nichrome Igniter

As a key subassembly of MEMS-based initiator, temperature is a decisive performance for Ni-Cr igniter. In order to get the transient heat response of Ni-Cr igniter, two different type of Ni-Cr igniters, including rectangle -shape type and V-shape type, were designed and fabricated on Pyrex7740 glass substrate. By the micro-sized infrared thermal technology, temperature distributions on surface of the igniter were measured under capacity charge excitations. Transient electro-thermal transfer models were presented and used to calculate the temperature distributions in the Ni-Cr igniters. By comparison, experimental values and simulation results deviated less than 5%, indicating the reliability and credibility of the simulation results. Rectangle-shape with smaller width at the half length has a more peak temperature, and the temperature at the center of the rectangle-shape is maximum. Two temperature peaks with same value in the V-shape Ni-Cr igniter appear near the two cross boundaries, and the V-shape igniter with less cross angle shows more temperature peak. It is of vital importance to guide the design of Ni-Cr igniter for initiating the next micro-sized explosives successfully.