AN IMPROVED FUSIBLE LINK FOR FASCAM MINES

CURRENT MICROFUSES FOR FASCAM MINES, WHOSE DESIGN IS SIMILAR TO MINIATURE DETONATORS OR SQUIBS, HAVE RELIABILITY PROBLEMS. THIS RESULTS IN MINES WHICH SELF-DESTRUCT EARLY, REDUCING MINEFIELD EFFECTIVENESS, OR LATE, ENDANGERING FRIENDLY TROOPS MOVING INTO THE AREA. MINIATURE DETONATORS USING THIN BRIDGEWIRES ALSO HAVE RELIABILITY PROBLEMS. USING INTEGRATED CIRCUIT TECHNOLOGY, SILICON DESIGNS HAS DEVELOPED A REPLACEMENT FOR BRIDGEWIRES USING THIN METAL FILMS ON A SUBSTRATE. THESE THIN-FILM BRIDGES APPEAR TO SOLVE DETONATOR RELIABILITY PROBLEMS. DETONATORS USING THIS TECHNOLOGY ARE CURRENTLY BEING QUALIFIED BY THE NAVY. WE PROPOSE TO APPLY THIS SAME TECHNOLOGY TO FUSIBLE LINKS IN TWO STEPS. FIRST, WE PROPOSE TO DEVELOP A FORM, FIT AND FUNCTION REPLACEMENT FOR THE EXISTING DESIGN, REPLACING THE THIN TUNGSTEN WIRE WITH A RELIABLE THIN-FILM BRIDGE CHIP. AS A SECOND STEP, WE PROPOSE TO DEVELOP A UNIT THAT COMBINES MULTIPLE MICROFUSES IN ONE HERMETIC PACKAGE USING THE HIGH-VOLUME, LOW-COST ASSEMBLY METHODS OF MICROELECTRONICS INDUSTRY.