Title :
Mechanisms Leading to Losses in Conventional Betavoltaics and Evolution: Utilizing Composite Semiconductor With Infused Radioisotope for Efficiency Improvement
Author :
Wacharasindhu, Tongtawee ; Nullmeyer, Bradley R. ; Kwon, Jae W. ; Robertson, J. David ; Garnov, Alexander Y.
Author_Institution :
Dept. of Electr. & Comput. Eng., Univ. of Missouri, Columbia, MO, USA
Abstract :
In this paper, we demonstrate remarkably improved efficiency over various conventional betavoltaics with critical energy loss problems. Radioactive sulfur (35S) was uniformly infused within a semiconductor material (selenium) and volumetrically encapsulated in the harvesting betavoltaic cells. By eliminating or reducing the potential loss factors with this new method, highly efficient energy conversion was achieved compared with conventional approaches. First and second generation prototype devices were fabricated and tested. A maximum output power of 687 nW was obtained from the micropower source using 33.61 mCi of 35S. The overall efficiency of the prototype device was 7.05%.
Keywords :
radioisotopes; secondary cells; selenium; semiconductor junctions; semiconductor materials; sulphur; S; Se; betavoltaic cells; composite semiconductor; critical energy loss problem; energy conversion; infused radioisotope; micropower source; power 67 nW; radioactive sulfur; selenium; semiconductor material; volumetrically encapsulation; Atomic measurements; Educational institutions; Electrodes; Junctions; Radioactive materials; Silicon; Radioisotope; betavoltaic; microbattery;
Journal_Title :
Microelectromechanical Systems, Journal of
DOI :
10.1109/JMEMS.2013.2288523