LASER DIODE INITIATION OF PRIMARY EXPLOSIVES

IT IS WELL DOCUMENTED THAT PRIMARY EXPLOSIVES LIKE PB(N3)2 CAN BE INITIATED (DETONATED) BY HIGH LEVEL LASER PULSES. THE HIGH POWER OF THE LASERS IS REQUIRED BECAUSE THE LASER POWER IS UTILIZED TO INITIATE PB(N3)2 - ONLY INDIRECTLY. THE IR AND NEAR IR RADIATION OF THE LASER IS ABSORBED BY PB(NAB OR PB(N3)2 BLENDED WITH CARBON BLACK GIVING RISE TO VIBRATIONAL EXCITATION WHICH, IN TURN, RESULTS IN THERMAL ENERGY WHICH FINALLY INITIATES PB(N3)2. THE INITIATION OF PB(N3)2 HAS ALSO BEEN ACCOMPLISHED BY RADIATION OF WAVE-LENGTHS 347 MICRONS AND 265 MICRONS BY DIRECT PHOTOEXCITATION OF THE AZIDE ION. HOWEVER, THE RADIATIONS 347 MICRONS AND AND 265 MICRONS HAVE BEEN OBTAINED FROM RUBY AND ND LASERS INDIRECTLY BY FREQUENCY DOUBLING FROM VISIBLE AND FREQUENCY QUADRUPLING FROM IR RESPECTIVELY RESULTING IN VERY LOW EFFICIENCY. THE OBJECTIVE OF THIS PROPOSAL IS TO MODIFY PB(N3)2 AT A MOLECULAR LEVEL SO THAT LOW LEVEL LASER PULSE CAN INITIATE PB(N3)2 DIRECTTLY BY PHOTOEXCITATION. OUR UNIQUE APPROACH IS TO MOVE THE ELECTRONIC EXCITATION REGION OF PB(N3)2 CRYSTALS (POWDER), AT A MOLECULAR LEVEL, WITH 10-2 - 10-1 WEIGHT PERCENT COLORED DOPANTS LIKE RED FE(N3)3, RED PBCR2O7 AND BLACK BROWN PB3 [FE(CN)6]2.