Recent Developments

3D architecture of a Beta Battery

A difficulty that researchers in the field of Betavoltaic cells have faced is that diode junctions consist of a two dimensional plane, and so the potential surface area that the beta electrons may hit is limited.
The solution is to utilise silicon carving technology to create multiple three dimensional diode junctions, resembling pillars, on top of silicon carbide substrate, within a sealed device. The space between is filled with a radioactive beta emitter such as tritiated water.
This three dimensional junction greatly increases the volume of beta electrons striking the diode and consequently, the potential power output of the cell.