Title :
Liquid-semiconductor-based micro power source using radioisotope energy conversion
Author :
Wacharasindhu, Tongtawee ; Kwon, Jae Wan ; Meier, David E. ; Robertson, J. David
Author_Institution :
Dept. of Electr. & Comput. Eng., Univ. of Missouri- Columbia, Columbia, MO, USA
Abstract :
In this paper, we present a betavoltaic micro power source using liquid-semiconductor for the first time. We have fabricated and characterized a MEMS-based micro battery, which is powered by a radioactive source with a liquid-semiconductor-based Schottky diode. Semiconductor properties of liquid selenium are utilized with radioactive sulfur (35S) for direct power conversion. The radioisotope material is encapsulated with liquid semiconductor in a micromachined device. Experimental results show that maximum of 16.2 nW can be harvested from the micromachined liquid semiconductor Schottky diode. A large open-circuit voltage of 899 mV and short-circuit current of 0.107 muA were also observed.
Keywords :
Schottky diodes; cells (electric); energy harvesting; liquid semiconductors; microfabrication; micromechanical devices; nuclear power; radioisotopes; selenium; short-circuit currents; sulphur; 35S; MEMS-based micro battery fabrication; Schottky diode; Se; betavoltaic micro power source; current 0.107 muA; direct power conversion; energy harvesting; liquid-semiconductor-based micro power source; micromachined device; open-circuit voltage; power 16.2 nW; radioactive source; radioactive sulfur; radioisotope energy conversion; radioisotope material encapsulation; short-circuit current; voltage 899 mV; Batteries; Beta rays; Chemicals; Degradation; Energy conversion; Lattices; Radioactive materials; Schottky diodes; Semiconductor materials; Solids; Liquid Semiconductor; Micro Power Source; Radioisotope;
Conference_Titel :
Solid-State Sensors, Actuators and Microsystems Conference, 2009. TRANSDUCERS 2009. International
Conference_Location :
Denver, CO
Print_ISBN :
978-1-4244-4190-7
Electronic_ISBN :
978-1-4244-4193-8
DOI :
10.1109/SENSOR.2009.5285410
