09-06-2012, 01:34 PM
Radioisotope Batteries for MEMS
nuclear battery.pdf (Size: 2.5 MB / Downloads: 0)
What is a Nuclear Battery?
Goal: convert energy from radioactive decay to electricity
•Options:
–Direct charge collection
–Indirect (scintillation)
–Betavoltaic
–Thermoelectric
–Thermionic
–thermophotovoltaic
Isotope Selection
Type of radiation
–Alpha
–Beta
•Half-Life
–Long -> Long battery life
–Short -> Higher power
•Avoid gammas in the decay chain
•Watch out for (alpha, n) reactions
•Watch particle range
Direct conversion nuclear battery
Direct conversion nuclear battery: collecting charges emitted from radioisotopes with a capacitor to achieve high voltage output
Secondary Collector
•Use beta source
•MgOused to maximize secondary’s
•Collector is graphite coated Al
•1e-5 mm Hg vacuum
