With the largest band gap energy of all commercial semiconductors, GaN has found wide application in the making of optoelectronic devices. It has also been used for photodetection such as solar blind imaging as well as ultraviolet and even X-ray detection. Unsurprisingly, the appreciable advantages of GaN over Si, amorphous silicon (a-Si:H), SiC, amorphous SiC (a-SiC), and GaAs, particularly for its radiation hardness, have drawn prompt attention from the physics, astronomy, and nuclear science and engineering communities alike, where semiconductors have traditionally been used for nuclear particle detection. Several investigations have established the usefulness of GaN for alpha detection, suggesting that when properly doped or coated with neutron sensitive materials, GaN could be turned into a neutron detection device. Work in this area is still early in its development, but GaN-based devices have already been shown to detect alpha particles, ultraviolet light, X-rays, electrons, and neutrons. Furthermo...

https://nars.osu.edu/sites/nars.osu.edu/files/uploads/cao-gan_review_for_radiatino_detection.pdf

Review of using gallium nitride for ionizing radiation detection

A Simple theoretical model for 63Ni betavoltaic battery

The effect of temperature on the output performance of four different types of betavoltaic microbatteries was investigated experimental and theoretical. Si and GaAs were selected as the energy conversion devices in four types of betavoltaic microbatteries, and 63 Ni and 147 Pm were used as beta sources. Current density–voltage curves were determined at a temperature range of 213.15–333.15 K. A simplified method was used to calculate the theoretical parameters of the betavoltaic microbatteries considering the energy loss of beta particles for self-absorption of radioactive source, the electron backscatter effect of different types of semiconductor materials, and the absorption of dead layer. Both the experimental and theoretical results show that the short-circuit current density increases slightly and the open-circuit voltage ( V OC ) decreases evidently with the increase in temperature. Different combinations of energy conversion devices and beta sources cause different effects of temperature on the microbatteries. In the approximately linear range, the V OC sensitivities caused by temperature for 63 Ni–Si, 63 Ni–GaAs, 147 Pm–Si, and 147 Pm–GaAs betavoltaic microbatteries were −2.57, −5.30, −2.53, and −4.90 mV/K respectively. Both theoretical and experimental energy conversion efficiency decreased evidently with the increase in temperature.

Temperature effect on betavoltaic microbatteries based on Si and GaAs under 63Ni and 147Pm irradiation

Design and optimization of beta-cell temperature sensor based on 63Ni–Si

GaN, with its wide bandgap of 3.4 eV, has emerged as an efficient material for designing high-efficiency betavoltaic batteries. An important part of designing efficient betavoltaic batteries involves a good understanding of the full process, from the behavior of the nuclear material and the creation of electron-hole pairs all the way through the collection of photo-generated carriers. This paper presents a detailed model based on Monte Carlo and Silvaco for a GaN-based betavoltaic battery device, modeled after Ni-63 as an energy source. The accuracy of the model is verified by comparing it with experimental values obtained for a GaN-based p-i-n structure under scanning electron microscope illumination.

Model of Ni-63 battery with realistic PIN structure

Among the various micro-powers being investigated, betavoltaic batteries are very attractive for numerous applications because of their advantages of high energy density, long life, strong anti-interference, and so on. Based on the basic principle of the betavoltaic effect, the current paper adopted the Monte Carlo N-Particle code to simulate the transport processes of β particles in semiconductor materials and to establish the calculation formulas for nuclear radiation-generated current, open circuit voltage, and so on. By discussing the effect of minority carrier diffusion length, doping concentration, and junction depth on the property of batteries, the present work concluded that the best parameters for batteries are the use of silicon and the radioisotope Ni-63, i.e., Ni-63 with a mass thickness of 1 mg/cm2, N
 a
 =1×1019 cm−3, N
 d
 =3.16×1016 cm−3, junction area of 1 cm2, junction depth of 0.3 μm, and so on. Under these parameters the short-circuit current, open circuit voltage, output power, and conversion efficiency are 573.3 nA, 0.253 V, 99.85 nW, and 4.94%, respectively. Such parameters are valuable for micro-power fields, such as micro-electromechanical systems and pacemakers, among others.

Optimization design and analysis of Si- 63 Ni betavoltaic battery

Betavoltaic radioisotope microbatteries have gradually become the research direction of micro-power sources because of their several advantages, including small scale, stable output performance, long service life, high energy density, strong anti-jamming capability, and so on. Based on the theory of semiconductor physics, the current paper presented a design scheme of isotope microbattery with wide-gap semiconductor material GaN and isotope 147Pm. In consideration of the isotope’s self-absorption effect, the current paper studied and analyzed the optimization thickness of semiconductor and isotope source, junction depth, depletion region thickness, doping concentration, and the generation and collection of electron hole pairs with simulation of transport process of beta particles in semiconductor material using Monte Carlo simulation program MCNP. In the proposed design scheme, for a single decay, an average energy of 28.2 keV was deposited in the GaN, and the short circuit current density, open circuit voltage, and efficiency of a single device were 1.636 μA/cm2, 3.16 V, and 13.4%, respectively.

Optimization design of GaN betavoltaic microbattery

Epitaxial silicon-based PIN node micro isotope battery and preparation method thereof

The utility model relates to an interlay structure battery based on a liquid semiconductor, comprising a substrate, a metal layer, a liquid semiconductor, an insulating material, a radioactive metal and a non-radioactive metal, wherein the radioactive metal and the non-radioactive metal form an integral structure, the radioactive metal is arranged at the middle of the non-radioactive metal, the insulating material, the metal layer and the substrate are orderly arranged on the upper and lower surfaces of the integral structure from the near to the distant, the insulating material is provided with a hollow structure, the liquid semiconductor is arranged inside the cavity of the insulating material, the radioactive metal and the liquid semiconductor form Schottky contact or ohmic contact, and the metal layer and the liquid semiconductor form ohmic contact or Schottky contact. The interlayer structure battery based on a liquid semiconductor can resolve the problems of being severe in semiconductor radiation damage and short in battery service life, employs a liquid semiconductor and a radioactive source type isotope source with a long service life, and is provided with an interlay structure, thereby comprehensively increasing the output performance of the battery and the application value of the battery.

Interlayer structure battery based on liquid semiconductor

The invention discloses an interlayer structure nuclear battery based on a liquid semiconductor and a preparation method of the interlayer structure nuclear battery. The interlayer structure nuclear battery comprises a substrate, a metal layer, a liquid semiconductor, an insulating material, a radioactive metal and a non-radioactive metal, wherein the radioactive metal and the non-radioactive metal are in an integral structure, and the radioactive metal is arranged at the middle part of the non-radioactive metal; the insulating material, the metal layer and the substrate are sequentially arranged on the upper and lower surfaces of the integral structure from the near to the distant, the insulating material is in a hollow structure, and the liquid semiconductor is arranged in a hollow cavity of the insulating material; the radioactive metal and the liquid semiconductor form Schottky contact or ohmic contact, and the metal layer and the liquid semiconductor form ohmic contact or Schottky contact. According to the interlayer structure nuclear battery and the preparation method, the problems that the semiconductor is subjected to serious radiation damage and the service life of a battery is too short are solved, the liquid semiconductor and a radioactive source type isotopic source with long service life are utilized and an interlayer structure is designed to comprehensively improve the output performance of the battery and improve the application value of the battery.

Ding Ding

Papers

Optimization design and analysis of Si- 63 Ni betavoltaic battery

Optimization design of GaN betavoltaic microbattery

Epitaxial silicon-based PIN node micro isotope battery and preparation method thereof

Interlayer structure battery based on liquid semiconductor

Interlayer structure nuclear battery based on liquid semiconductor and preparation method thereof