Open AccessSilicon‐on‐insulator‐based microsolid propellant thruster array
Author(s) -
Shen Qiang,
Yuan Wei Zheng,
Li He,
Xie Jian Bing,
Chang Hong Long
Publication year - 2015
Publication title -
micro and nano letters
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.25
H-Index - 31
ISSN - 1750-0443
DOI - 10.1049/mnl.2015.0023
Subject(s) - propellant , aerospace engineering , silicon on insulator , silicon , materials science , aeronautics , nuclear engineering , engineering physics , mechanical engineering , engineering , optoelectronics
A silicon‐on‐insulator (SOI)‐based microelectromechanical system solid propellant thruster array is presented. The micronozzle layer and microigniter layer of the array are formed on both surfaces of the SOI wafer, respectively. The layout design rules can properly distribute the heat produced by the microigniter below the solid propellant inside the chamber. Test results show that the highest temperature of the microigniter is located under the propellant. When one unit in the array is ignited by a DC voltage of 7.9 V, other units around it are not ignited. Moreover, the ignition resistors can work again, which means that the array can be used repeatedly when the solid propellant is refilled.