A betavoltaic microcell based on Au/s-SWCNTs/Ti Schottky junction

• Published in: Sensors and actuators. A. Physical. Vol. 215; pp. 17 - 21
• Main Authors: Chang, Yiyang, Chen, Changchuan, Liu, Peng, Zhang, Jinwen
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier B.V 15.08.2014
• Subjects: Betavoltaic; Bundles; Density; Electrical junctions; Electrodes; Gold; Microcell; Open circuit voltage; Schottky junction; Single wall carbon nanotubes; Single-walled carbon nanotube; Titanium; Schottky junction; Microcell; Single-walled carbon nanotube; Betavoltaic
• ISSN: 0924-4247; 1873-3069
• DOI: 10.1016/j.sna.2013.08.015

•Present a novel betavoltaic microcell based on Au/s-SWCNTs/Ti structure.•Use Ni-63 as the beta particles source.•Single-walled carbon nanotubes fabricated by dielectrophoretic (DEP) method.•Metallic nanotubes are electrically eliminated by high current.•Betavoltaic microcell with Voc of 26mV, Jsc of 2.19μA/cm2, and efficiency of 5.20%. This paper reports a new type betavoltaic (BV) microcell based on intrinsic p-type semiconductive single-walled carbon nanotubes (s-SWCNTs). Our device composes of Au and Ti asymmetrical electrode pairs with s-SWCNTs laid over them forming Schottky junction with Ti and ohmic contact with Au. SWCNT bundles were self-assembled between Au and Ti electrodes by Dieletrophoretic (DEP) technique, and metallic SWCNTs (m-SWCNTs) were selectively eliminated by current-induced electrical breakdown method. 3.3mCi/cm2 thin-film radioisotope 63Ni serves as beta particles source, with 100-year half-time and low toxicity. Test results show that SWCNTs BV microcell has the open circuit voltage (VOC) of 26mV, short circuit current density (JSC) of 2.19μA/cm2 and energy conversion efficiency (η) of 5.20%.