A fuel injector configured and arranged to inject fuel into a combustion
chamber comprises a casing member, a fuel discharge valve and a micro
nozzle. The casing member includes a hydraulic chamber configured to
contain pressurized fuel and a flow rate regulating hole arranged to
discharge the fuel from inside the hydraulic chamber. The fuel discharge
valve is configured and arranged to open and close the flow rate
regulating hole. The micro nozzle is disposed in a downstream part with
respect to the fuel discharge valve, and has at least one through hole
arranged to inject the fuel discharged from the flow rate regulating hole
into the combustion chamber. The micro nozzle further includes a heating
structure configured and arranged to selectively emit heat to raise
temperature of the fuel that passes through the at least one through hole
of the micro nozzle upon activation of the heating structure.