Title :
A theoretical study on silicon betavoltaics using Ni-63
Author :
Wu, Kai ; Dai, Changhong ; Guo, Hang
Author_Institution :
Pen-Tung Sah Micro-Nano Technol. Res. Center, Xiamen Univ., Xiamen, China
Abstract :
Theoretical study of silicon betavoltaics is presented in this paper. The analytical expression of generated current is derived and the characteristic parameters are studied. The radioactive isotope Ni-63 is chosen due to its long half-life time about 100.2 years. The betavoltaic microbattery is based on a N+-P silicon junction and the junction depth (xj) is chosen to be the penetration depth of beta particles with the average kinetic energy of 17.4 keV emitted from Ni-63. The effects of doping concentration on short-circuit current density (Jsc), open-circuit voltage (Voc) and conversion efficiency (η) are discussed. By optimizing the doping concentration, high conversion efficiency (5%) betavoltaic microbattery can be achieved.
Keywords :
cells (electric); current density; elemental semiconductors; micromechanical devices; p-n junctions; radioisotopes; silicon; average kinetic energy; betavoltaic microbattery; conversion efficiency; doping concentration; efficiency 5 percent; electron volt energy 17.4 keV; n-p silicon junction; open-circuit voltage; radioactive isotope; short-circuit current density; silicon betavoltaic battery; Batteries; Doping; Isotopes; Junctions; Kinetic energy; Neodymium; Silicon; Ni-63; microbattery; silicon betavoltaics;
Conference_Titel :
Nano/Micro Engineered and Molecular Systems (NEMS), 2011 IEEE International Conference on
Conference_Location :
Kaohsiung
Print_ISBN :
978-1-61284-775-7
DOI :
10.1109/NEMS.2011.6017456
