Author(s): Xi, SX (Xi, Shanxue); Li, HJ (Li, Haijun); Li, LX (Li, Linxiang); Wu, K (Wu, Kun); Huang, GW (Huang, Guangwei); Wang, ZG (Wang, Zungang); Zhang, YY (Zhang, Yiyun); Zhou, CZ (Zhou, Chunzhi)

Source: NUCLEAR TECHNOLOGY DOI: 10.1080/00295450.2021.1982361 Early Access Date: DEC 2021

Abstract: The fabrication and experimental research of a GaN-Positive-Intrinsic-Negative (GaN-PIN) betavoltaic nuclear battery driven by an Ni-63 radioisotope source and an SiC-Schottky betavoltaic nuclear battery driven by an Pm-147 radioisotope source are introduced. The self-absorption effects of radioisotope sources (Ni-63, Pm-147) are explored and analyzed by Monte Carlo simulation. The SiC-Schottky and GaN-PIN betavoltaic cells were fabricated, where the GaN-PIN devices include different areas, absorption layer thicknesses, and electrode structures. And the measured I-V results show that the power density of the GaN-PIN nuclear battery can exceed 4.3 nW/cm(2), the open-circuit voltage can reach 1.25 V, and the energy conversion efficiency can reach 2.3%. And for the SiC-Schottky betavoltaic battery, the maximum output power and energy conversion efficiency are 0.67 pW/cm(2) and 0.024%, respectively.

Accession Number: WOS:000728662400001

ISSN: 0029-5450

eISSN: 1943-7471

Full Text: https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/00295450.2021.1982361