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

Source: RADIATION EFFECTS AND DEFECTS IN SOLIDS DOI: 10.1080/10420150.2021.2024541 Early Access Date: JAN 2022

Abstract: The theoretical and experimental investigation work of an in-house produced Ni-63 radioisotope-powered gallium nitride (GaN)-based direct conversion (betavoltaic) nuclear battery is described. The GaN-PIN devices with different thicknesses of depletion layer were fabricated, and the thickness of depletion layer and doping concentration of the cell were simulated and optimised. The nuclear battery was tested with Ni-63 radioisotope source with different radioactivity density. The test results show that the power density of the nuclear battery can exceed 6 nW/cm(2), the open-circuit voltage can reach 1.25 V and the energy conversion efficiency is 2.78%. The radioisotope's self-absorption effect is explored by Monte Carlo modelling. The series and parallel integrated forms of the two devices are successfully fabricated, and their electrical characteristics are tested. Finally, the temperature effect of nuclear cell is studied preliminarily, the output power of nuclear battery is increasing with the increase of temperature.

Accession Number: WOS:000746452000001

ISSN: 1042-0150

eISSN: 1029-4953

Full Text: https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/10420150.2021.2024541