Radioisotope Microbatteries
Lead Research Organisation:
University of Sussex
Department Name: Sch of Engineering and Informatics
Abstract
The ability to supply small amounts of power over long periods of time is becoming increasingly important in many applications including: microelectromechanical system technologies; implantable medical devices such as neurostimulators e.g. to alleviate the effects of Parkinson's disease or chronic pain; embedded electronics and sensors; as well as various defence and security applications. The core aim of this proposal is to produce a commercially viable robust, miniature and high-efficiency radioisotope microbattery for microelectronics to be deployed in inaccessible or hostile environments.
Publications
Lioliou G
(2018)
GaAs Spectrometer for Planetary Electron Spectroscopy
in Journal of Geophysical Research: Space Physics
Whitaker M
(2020)
GaAs/Al0.8Ga0.2As separate absorption and multiplication region x-ray spectroscopic avalanche photodiodes
in Journal of Applied Physics
Zhao S
(2019)
High temperature AlInP X-ray spectrometers.
in Scientific reports
Lioliou G
(2017)
High temperature GaAs X-ray detectors
in Journal of Applied Physics
Whitaker M
(2020)
InGaAs x-ray photodiode for spectroscopy
in Materials Research Express
Butera S
(2017)
InGaP (GaInP) mesa p-i-n photodiodes for X-ray photon counting spectroscopy.
in Scientific reports
Butera S
(2017)
Investigation of a temperature tolerant InGaP (GaInP) converter layer for a 63 Ni betavoltaic cell
in Journal of Physics D: Applied Physics
Butera S
(2018)
Measurement of the electron-hole pair creation energy in A l 0 . 52 I n 0 . 48 P using X-ray radiation
in Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research Section A: Accelerators, Spectrometers, Detectors and Associated Equipment
Lioliou G
(2021)
Performance evaluation of a new 30 µm thick GaAs x-ray detector grown by MBE
in Materials Research Express
Lioliou G
(2017)
Prototype GaAs X-ray detector and preamplifier electronics for a deep seabed mineral XRF spectrometer
in X-Ray Spectrometry
Description | Radioisotope microbatteries are technologically viable and on the cusp of being commercially viable for many applications. |
Exploitation Route | Further research; commercialisation |
Sectors | Aerospace, Defence and Marine,Electronics,Energy,Security and Diplomacy |
Description | Radioisotope microbatteries are ready to be developed as commercial propositions for defence, medical, and other applications. The work helped shape strategic direction at a major UK company. |
First Year Of Impact | 2018 |
Sector | Aerospace, Defence and Marine,Electronics,Energy,Healthcare,Pharmaceuticals and Medical Biotechnology,Security and Diplomacy |
Impact Types | Societal,Economic |
Title | NUCLEAR MICROBATTERY |
Description | A nuclear microbattery is disclosed comprising: a radioactive material that emits photons or particles; and at least one diode comprising a semiconductor material arranged to receive and absorb photons or particles and generate electrical charge-carriers in response thereto, wherein said semiconductor material is a crystalline lattice structure comprising Aluminium, Indium and Phosphorus. |
IP Reference | CA3070559 |
Protection | Patent application published |
Year Protection Granted | 2019 |
Licensed | No |
Impact | Patent applied for in: US, UK, EU, China, India, Russia, and Brazil |
Title | NUCLEAR MICROBATTERY |
Description | A nuclear microbattery is disclosed comprising: a radioactive material that emits photons or particles; and at least one diode comprising a semiconductor material arranged to receive and absorb photons or particles and generate electrical charge-carriers in response thereto, wherein said semiconductor material is a crystalline lattice structure comprising Aluminium, Indium and Phosphorus. |
IP Reference | WO2019016574 |
Protection | Patent application published |
Year Protection Granted | 2019 |
Licensed | No |
Impact | Patents applied for in: UK, USA, Canada, China, India, Russia |