Radioisotope Thin-Film Powered Microsystems

Duggirala, R.; Lal, Amit; Radhakrishnan, Shankar

doi:10.1007/978-1-4419-6763-3

Cited by 16 publications

(10 citation statements)

References 34 publications

(66 reference statements)

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“…First, periodic arrays, especially pillar arrays from growth processes, generate the highest P e,vol , independent of radioisotope source. 13,14 Second, increasing A m and η β with mass density (ρ m ) between 0.5 and 1 g/cm 3 maximizes P e,vol with 1-μm-thick 4H-SiC layers. 7 In this research we have worked on each described category and related our results to previous research, both experimental and numerical results.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Optimization of 3‐D coupling configuration with textured semiconductors and radioisotope source using experimental, analytical, and numerical methods was attempted with tritium gas and Si cylindrical array, 63 Ni and GaN pyramidal and cylindrical pillar array, and 147 Pm and hexagonal array . These textures semiconductor surfaces are produced from high aspect ratio microstructure technology (HARMST) .…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…After analyzing the research work, only two general conclusions are apparent because the research does not directly build off or relate to one another. First, periodic arrays, especially pillar arrays from growth processes, generate the highest P e,vol , independent of radioisotope source . Second, increasing A m and η β with mass density ( ρ m ) between 0.5 and 1 g/cm 3 maximizes P e,vol with 1‐μm‐thick 4H‐SiC layers …”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Planar and textured surface optimization for a tritium‐based betavoltaic nuclear battery

et al. 2019

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Summary Remote, terrestrial, and space sensors require sources that have high enough power and energy densities for continuous operation for multiple decades. Conventional chemical sources have lower energy densities and lifetimes of 10 to 15 years depending on environmental conditions. Betavoltaic (βV) nuclear batteries using β‐‐emitting radioisotopes possess energy densities approximately 1000 times greater than conventional chemical sources. Their electrical power density (Pe,vol in W/cm3) in a given volume is a function of β‐‐flux surface power density ()Pβ−, surface interface type between radioisotope and transducer, β‐ range, and transducer thickness and conversion efficiency (ηs). Tritium is the most viable β‐‐emitting radioisotope because of its commercial availability, low biotoxicity, half‐life, and low energy, which minimizes the penetration depth and damage of transducer. To maximize Pe,vol, tritium in solid or liquid form must be used in the βV nuclear battery. A Monte Carlo source model using MCNP6 was developed to maximize the Pe,vol of a tritium‐based βV nuclear battery. First, a planar coupling configuration with different tritiated compounds (ie, titanium tritide and tritiated nitroxide) and a semiconductor transducer (4H‐SiC) with thicknesses of 1 and 100 μm were modeled. The results showed that β‐‐source efficiency (ηβ), which is the percentage of energy deposited in the transducer, decreased as the tritiated compound's mass density increased. The highest Pe,vol was dependent on a combination of characteristics: specific activity (Am in Ci/g), mass density, and 4H‐SiC layer thickness. The tritiated nitroxide with the highest Am at 2372 Ci/g produced the highest Pe,vol at 2.46 mW/cm3. Second, a 3‐D coupling configuration was modelled to increase surface interfacing between the radioisotope source and textured transducer surface. 3‐D coupling configuration increased the percentage of energy deposited into the transducer because of more surface interfacing between the transducer and source in the same volume. The tritiated nitroxide was selected as the radioisotope source coupled with five different textured surface feature types. The Pe,vol as a function of textured surface feature and gap, where the radioisotope is located, width was calculated for 1‐ and 100‐μm 4H‐SiC layer thicknesses. Results showed that ηβ increased compared with planar coupling configuration (ie, approximately 56.2% increase over planar with cylindrical hole array) except with the rectangular pillar array. Still, the rectangular pillar array produced the highest Pe,vol at 4.54 mW/cm3 with an increasing factor of 2.29 compared with the planar coupling configuration.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Planar and textured surface optimization for a tritium‐based betavoltaic nuclear battery

et al. 2019

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“…The prospects for its practical use are not yet clear because the chemical energy is inefficiently transformed into hot electron energy (10 −3 -10 −5 electrons per chemical event) [7,10]. Nevertheless, an analogous phenomenon has already found practical application in portable radioisotope power sources of radioelectronic equipment [11][12][13]. Their principle of operation is based on the fact that a semiconductor crystal (acceptor) takes up electrons from radicals and ions generated in a liquid or gas working medium due to radiolysis [14,15].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Chemical-electric energy conversion effect in zirconia nanopowder systems

Doroshkevich

Lyubchyk

Shilo

et al. 2017

J. Synch. Investig.

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Issues concerned with the energy conversion of exothermal heterophase processes are discussed using the physico-chemical interaction between ZrO 2-Y 2 O 3 (3 mol %) nanopowder system and atmospheric moisture as an example. The electrical properties of an experimental sample are investigated upon moisture saturation in the case of a molecular-flow density gradient. A probable mechanism for the effect based on the theory of contact phenomena in semiconductors is proposed. The idea of developing chemical-electric converters fabricated from nanoscale materials with dielectric conduction is suggested.

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“…One of the systems that has been getting a lot of attention lately is the MEMS (Micro electro mechanical system) radioisotope coupled system. 23 As shown in Figure 7, a radioisotope produces charges that charge up a conductive beam. This builds up an increasing electric field that eventually pulls the beam down to contact the bottom surface, which allows the charges to be discharged.…”

Section: Direct Charge Batteriesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Atomic Batteries: Energy from Radioactivity

Kumar¹

2015

J Nucl Ene Sci Power Generat Technol

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With alternate, sustainable, natural sources of energy being sought after, there is new interest in energy from radioactivity, including natural and waste radioactive materials. A study of various atomic batteries is presented with perspectives of development and comparisons of performance parameters and cost. We discuss radioisotope thermal generators, indirect conversion batteries, direct conversion batteries, and direct charge batteries. We qualitatively describe their principles of operation and their applications. We project possible market trends through our comparative cost analysis. We also explore a future direction for certain atomic batteries by using nanomaterials to improve their performance.

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Radioisotope Thin-Film Powered Microsystems

Cited by 16 publications

References 34 publications

Planar and textured surface optimization for a tritium‐based betavoltaic nuclear battery

Planar and textured surface optimization for a tritium‐based betavoltaic nuclear battery

Chemical-electric energy conversion effect in zirconia nanopowder systems

Atomic Batteries: Energy from Radioactivity

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