Electrical generator system
A power battery using the energy from a radioactive material. The arrangement uses ZnO as a semiconductor, with energy generated a metal-semiconductor junction. The ZnO is arranged in thin layers. This allows for good durability and relatively high power production.
1. An electrical generator system including:
a radionuclide material;
metal electrodes; and
electrical contacts connected to said metal electrodes, said electrical contacts being adapted to facilitate flow of electrical energy when connected to a load,
wherein the system further includes a thin layer of zinc oxide having a thickness between 150-1500 nanometers (nm), said thin layer of zinc oxide being in direct contact with at least one of the metal electrodes and forming a metal-semiconductor junction therebetween, and
wherein radioactive emissions received from said radionuclide material are converted into electrical energy at said metal-semiconductor junction.
2. The electrical generator system of claim 1 , wherein said zinc oxide layer is formed on a substrate material.
3. The electrical generator system of claim 2 , wherein said substrate material is selected from glass, sapphire or quartz.
4. The electrical generator system according to claim 2 , wherein a layer of a doped metal oxide material is disposed between the zinc oxide layer and the substrate.
5. The electrical generator system according to claim 4 , wherein one of said metal electrodes is disposed in direct contact with said doped metal oxide material.
6. The electrical generator system according to claim 1 , wherein said thin layer of zinc oxide is formed by an RF magnetron sputter process.
7. The electrical generator system according to claim 1 , wherein said metal electrodes are formed of gold, silver or aluminium.
8. The electrical generator system according to claim 1 , wherein said metal electrodes are deposited on said zinc oxide by a sputtering process or electrochemical vapour deposition.
9. The electrical generator system according to claim 1 , wherein said radionuclide material is encased in a seal material.
10. The electrical generator system according to claim 9 , wherein said seal material is selected from aluminium, a metal alloy, plastic or Mylar.
11. The electrical generator system according to claim 1 , wherein said radionuclide material is selected from Sr-90, Pm-147, Ni-63 or H-3.
12. An electrical power supply device including a housing enclosing an electrical generator system according to claim 1 .
13. The device of claim 12 , wherein there are multiple layers of zinc oxide, each layer having corresponding metal electrodes and electrical contacts, wherein adjacent layers are separated by an insulating substrate material.