Nuclear Engineering and Technology

Korean Nuclear Society (한국원자력학회)
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A nuclear battery based on silicon p-i-n structures with electroplating 63Ni layer

  • Received : 2018.05.17
  • Accepted : 2019.06.03
  • Published : 2019.12.25
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Abstract

The paper presents the electrical performance measurements of a prototype nuclear battery and two types of betavoltaic cells. The electrical performance was assessed by measuring current-voltage properties (I-V) and determining the short-circuit current and the open-circuit voltage. With 63Ni as an irradiation source, the open-circuit voltage and the short-circuit current were determined as 1 V and 64 nA, respectively. The prototype consisted of 10 betavoltaic cells that were prepared using radioactive 63Ni. Electroplating of the radioactive 63Ni on an ohmic contact (Ti-Ni) was carried out at a current density of 20 mA/㎠. Two types of betavoltaic cells were studied: with an external 63Ni source and a 63Ni-covered source. Under irradiation of the 63Ni source with an activity of 10 mCi, the open-circuit voltage Voc of the fabricated cells reached 151 mV and 109 mV; the short-circuit current density Jsc was measured to be 72.9 nA/cm2 and 64.6 nA/㎠, respectively. The betavoltaic cells had the fill factor of 55% and 50%, respectively.

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References

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