Claims
- 1. An apparatus for generating electrical current from a nuclear decay process of a radioactive material, the apparatus comprising:
an enclosed volume of radioactive material; and a junction region disposed within said enclosed volume, wherein a first portion of said junction region is disposed at a declination angle of greater than about 55° relative to a second portion of said junction region.
- 2. The apparatus for generating electrical current from a nuclear decay process of a radioactive material of claim 1, wherein said enclosed volume of radioactive material further comprises beta particles emitted during said nuclear decay process.
- 3. The apparatus for generating electrical current from a nuclear decay process of a radioactive material of claim 1, wherein said enclosed volume of radioactive material further comprises alpha particles emitted during said nuclear decay process.
- 4. The apparatus for generating electrical current from a nuclear decay process of a radioactive material of claim 1, wherein said enclosed volume of radioactive material further comprises gamma particles emitted during said nuclear decay process.
- 5. The apparatus for generating electrical current from a nuclear decay process of a radioactive material of claim 1, wherein said enclosed volume of radioactive material further comprises a gaseous material.
- 6. The apparatus for generating electrical current from a nuclear decay process of a radioactive material of claim 5, wherein said gaseous material further comprises a tritium gas.
- 7. The apparatus for generating electrical current from a nuclear decay process of a radioactive material of claim 1, wherein said enclosed volume of radioactive material further comprises a liquid material.
- 8. The apparatus for generating electrical current from a nuclear decay process of a radioactive material of claim 7, wherein said liquid material further comprises a 63Ni solution.
- 9. The apparatus for generating electrical current from a nuclear decay process of a radioactive material of claim 1, wherein said enclosed volume of radioactive material further comprises a solid material.
- 10. The apparatus for generating electrical current from a nuclear decay process of a radioactive material of claim 1, wherein said first portion of said junction region is formed within at least one pore formed within a macroporous region of a semiconductor.
- 11. The apparatus for generating electrical current from a nuclear decay process of a radioactive material of claim 10, wherein said at least one pore formed within said macroporous region has a curved shape.
- 12. The apparatus for generating electrical current from a nuclear decay process of a radioactive material of claim 11, wherein a throat opening of said at least one pore has a diameter of less than about a mean free path length of a beta particle emitted from said radioactive material.
- 13. The apparatus for generating electrical current from a nuclear decay process of a radioactive material of claim 11, wherein a throat opening of said at least one pore has a diameter of greater than about 1 nm and less than about 500 μm.
- 14. The apparatus for generating electrical current from a nuclear decay process of a radioactive material of claim 11, wherein a throat opening of said at least one pore has a diameter of greater than about 1 μm and less than about 100 μm.
- 15. The apparatus for generating electrical current from a nuclear decay process of a radioactive material of claim 11, wherein a throat opening of said at least one pore has a diameter of about 70 μm.
- 16. The apparatus for generating electrical current from a nuclear decay process of a radioactive material of claim 10, wherein said at least one pore formed within said macroporous region has a multifaceted shape.
- 17. The apparatus for generating electrical current from a nuclear decay process of a radioactive material of claim 16, wherein a throat opening of said at least one pore has a diameter of less than about a mean free path length of a beta particle emitted from said radioactive material.
- 18. The apparatus for generating electrical current from a nuclear decay process of a radioactive material of claim 16, wherein a throat opening of said at least one pore has a diameter of greater than about 1 nm and less than about 500 μm.
- 19. The apparatus for generating electrical current from a nuclear decay process of a radioactive material of claim 10, wherein a length of said at least one pore terminates within a body portion of said semiconductor.
- 20. The apparatus for generating electrical current from a nuclear decay process of a radioactive material of claim 10, wherein a length of said at least one pore extends entirely through a body portion of said semiconductor.
- 21. An apparatus for generating electrical current from a nuclear decay process of a radioactive material, the apparatus comprising:
a volume of radioactive material enclosed in a bulk silicon material; and a junction region disposed within at least one pore formed within a body portion of said bulk silicon material, wherein said at least one pore has an aspect ratio of greater than about 20:1.
- 22. The apparatus for generating electrical current from a nuclear decay process of a radioactive material of claim 21, wherein said at least one pore has an aspect ratio of greater than about 30:1.
- 23. The apparatus for generating electrical current from a nuclear decay process of a radioactive material of claim 21, wherein said enclosed volume of radioactive material further comprises beta particles emitted during said nuclear decay process.
- 24. The apparatus for generating electrical current from a nuclear decay process of a radioactive material of claim 21, wherein said enclosed volume of radioactive material further comprises alpha particles emitted during said nuclear decay process.
- 25. The apparatus for generating electrical current from a nuclear decay process of a radioactive material of claim 21, wherein said enclosed volume of radioactive material further comprises gamma particles emitted during said nuclear decay process.
- 26. The apparatus for generating electrical current from a nuclear decay process of a radioactive material of claim 21, wherein said enclosed volume of radioactive material further comprises a gaseous material.
- 27. The apparatus for generating electrical current from a nuclear decay process of a radioactive material of claim 26, wherein said gaseous material further comprises a tritium gas.
- 28. The apparatus for generating electrical current from a nuclear decay process of a radioactive material of claim 21, wherein said enclosed volume of radioactive material further comprises a liquid material.
- 29. The apparatus for generating electrical current from a nuclear decay process of a radioactive material of claim 28, wherein said liquid material further comprises a 63Ni solution.
- 30. The apparatus for generating electrical current from a nuclear decay process of a radioactive material of claim 21, wherein said enclosed volume of radioactive material further comprises a solid material.
- 31. The apparatus for generating electrical current from a nuclear decay process of a radioactive material of claim 21, wherein said at least one pore formed within a body portion of said bulk silicon material has a curved shape.
- 32. The apparatus for generating electrical current from a nuclear decay process of a radioactive material of claim 31, wherein a throat opening of said at least one pore has a diameter of less than about a mean free path length of a beta particle emitted from said radioactive material.
- 33. The apparatus for generating electrical current from a nuclear decay process of a radioactive material of claim 31, wherein a throat opening of said at least one pore has a diameter of greater than about 1 nm and less than about 500 μm.
- 34. The apparatus for generating electrical current from a nuclear decay process of a radioactive material of claim 31, wherein a throat opening of said at least one pore has a diameter of greater than about 1 μm and less than about 100 μm.
- 35. The apparatus for generating electrical current from a nuclear decay process of a radioactive material of claim 31, wherein a throat opening of said at least one pore has a diameter of about 70 μm.
- 36. The apparatus for generating electrical current from a nuclear decay process of a radioactive material of claim 21, wherein said at least one pore formed within the body of said bulk silicon material has a multifaceted shape.
- 37. The apparatus for generating electrical current from a nuclear decay process of a radioactive material of claim 36, wherein a throat opening of said at least one pore has a diameter of less than about a mean free path length of a beta particle emitted from said radioactive material.
- 38. The apparatus for generating electrical current from a nuclear decay process of a radioactive material of claim 36, wherein a throat opening of said at least one pore has a diameter of greater than about 1 nm and less than about 500 μm.
- 39. The apparatus for generating electrical current from a nuclear decay process of a radioactive material of claim 21, wherein a length of said at least one pore terminates within said body portion of said bulk silicon material.
- 40. The apparatus for generating electrical current from a nuclear decay process of a radioactive material of claim 21, wherein a length of said at least one pore extends entirely through said body portion of said bulk silicon material.
- 41. A method for generating electrical current from a nuclear decay process of a radioactive material, the method comprising:
enclosing a volume of radioactive material; and disposing a junction region within said enclosed volume, so that a first portion of said junction region is disposed at a declination angle of greater than about 55° relative to a second portion of said junction region.
- 42. The method for generating electrical current from a nuclear decay process of a radioactive material of claim 41, the method further comprising:
enclosing a volume of radioactive material that emits beta particles during said nuclear decay process.
- 43. The method for generating electrical current from a nuclear decay process of a radioactive material of claim 41, the method further comprising:
enclosing a volume of radioactive material that emits alpha particles during said nuclear decay process.
- 44. The method for generating electrical current from a nuclear decay process of a radioactive material of claim 41, the method further comprising:
enclosing a volume of radioactive material that emits gamma particles during said nuclear decay process.
- 45. The method for generating electrical current from a nuclear decay process of a radioactive material of claim 41, the method further comprising:
enclosing a volume of gaseous radioactive material.
- 46. The method for generating electrical current from a nuclear decay process of a radioactive material of claim 45, the method further comprising:
enclosing a volume of tritium gas.
- 47. The method for generating electrical current from a nuclear decay process of a radioactive material of claim 41, the method further comprising:
enclosing a volume of liquid radioactive material.
- 48. The method for generating electrical current from a nuclear decay process of a radioactive material of claim 47, the method further comprising:
enclosing a volume of liquid 63Ni solution.
- 49. The method for generating electrical current from a nuclear decay process of a radioactive material of claim 41, the method further comprising:
enclosing a volume of solid radioactive material.
- 50. The method for generating electrical current from a nuclear decay process of a radioactive material of claim 41, the method further comprising:
forming at least one pore in a macroporous region of a semiconductor; and disposing said first junction region within said at least one pore.
- 51. The method for generating electrical current from a nuclear decay process of a radioactive material of claim 50, the method further comprising:
forming said at least one pore into a curved shape.
- 52. The method for generating electrical current from a nuclear decay process of a radioactive material of claim 51, the method further comprising:
forming a throat opening of said at least one pore so that a throat diameter of less than about a mean free path length of a beta particle emitted from said radioactive material is obtained.
- 53. The method for generating electrical current from a nuclear decay process of a radioactive material of claim 51, the method further comprising:
forming a throat opening of said at least one pore so that a throat diameter of greater than about 1 nm and less than about 500 μm is obtained.
- 54. The method for generating electrical current from a nuclear decay process of a radioactive material of claim 51, the method further comprising:
forming a throat opening of said at least one pore so that a throat diameter of greater than about 1 μm and less than about 100 μm is obtained.
- 55. The method for generating electrical current from a nuclear decay process of a radioactive material of claim 51, the method further comprising:
forming a throat opening of said at least one pore so that a throat diameter of about 70 μm is obtained.
- 56. The method for generating electrical current from a nuclear decay process of a radioactive material of claim 50, the method further comprising:
forming said at least one pore into a multifaceted shape.
- 57. The method for generating electrical current from a nuclear decay process of a radioactive material of claim 56, the method further comprising:
forming a throat opening of said at least one pore so that a throat diameter of less than a mean free path length of a beta particle emitted from said radioactive material is obtained.
- 58. The method for generating electrical current from a nuclear decay process of a radioactive material of claim 56, the method further comprising:
forming a throat opening of said at least one pore so that a throat diameter of about greater than about 1 nm and less than about 500 μm is obtained.
- 59. The method for generating electrical current from a nuclear decay process of a radioactive material of claim 50, the method further comprising:
forming a length of said at least one pore so that said length terminates within a body portion of said semiconductor.
- 60. The method for generating electrical current from a nuclear decay process of a radioactive material of claim 50, the method further comprising:
forming a length of said at least one pore so that said length extends entirely through a body portion of said semiconductor.
- 61. A method for generating electrical current from a nuclear decay process of a radioactive material, the method comprising:
enclosing a volume of radioactive material in a bulk silicon material; forming at least one pore within a body portion of said bulk silicon material so that said at least one pore has an aspect ratio of greater than about 20:1, and disposing a junction region within said at least one pore.
- 62. The method for generating electrical current from a nuclear decay process of a radioactive material of claim 61, the method further comprising:
forming said at least one pore so that said at least one pore has an aspect ratio of greater than about 30:1.
- 63. The method for generating electrical current from a nuclear decay process of a radioactive material of claim 61, the method further comprising:
enclosing a volume of radioactive material that emits beta particles during said nuclear decay process.
- 64. The method for generating electrical current from a nuclear decay process of a radioactive material of claim 61, the method further comprising:
enclosing a volume of radioactive material that emits alpha particles during said nuclear decay process.
- 65. The method for generating electrical current from a nuclear decay process of a radioactive material of claim 61, the method further comprising:
enclosing a volume of radioactive material that emits gamma particles during said nuclear decay process.
- 66. The method for generating electrical current from a nuclear decay process of a radioactive material of claim 61, the method further comprising:
enclosing a volume of gaseous radioactive material.
- 67. The method for generating electrical current from a nuclear decay process of a radioactive material of claim 66, the method further comprising:
enclosing a volume of tritium gas.
- 68. The method for generating electrical current from a nuclear decay process of a radioactive material of claim 61, the method further comprising:
enclosing a volume of liquid radioactive material.
- 69. The method for generating electrical current from a nuclear decay process of a radioactive material of claim 68, the method further comprising:
enclosing a volume of liquid 63Ni solution.
- 70. The method for generating electrical current from a nuclear decay process of a radioactive material of claim 61, the method further comprising:
enclosing a volume of solid radioactive material.
- 71. The method for generating electrical current from a nuclear decay process of a radioactive material of claim 61, the method further comprising:
forming said at least one pore into a curved shape.
- 72. The method for generating electrical current from a nuclear decay process of a radioactive material of claim 71, the method further comprising:
forming a throat opening of said at least one pore so that a throat diameter of less than about a mean free path length of a beta particle emitted from said radioactive material is obtained.
- 73. The method for generating electrical current from a nuclear decay process of a radioactive material of claim 71, the method further comprising:
forming a throat opening of said at least one pore so that a throat diameter of greater than about 1 nm and less than about 500 μm is obtained.
- 74. The method for generating electrical current from a nuclear decay process of a radioactive material of claim 71, the method further comprising:
forming a throat opening of said at least one pore so that a throat diameter of greater than about 1 μm and less than about 100 μm is obtained.
- 75. The method for generating electrical current from a nuclear decay process of a radioactive material of claim 71, the method further comprising:
forming a throat opening of said at least one pore so that a throat diameter of about 70 μm is obtained.
- 76. The method for generating electrical current from a nuclear decay process of a radioactive material of claim 61, the method further comprising:
forming said at least one pore into a multifaceted shape.
- 77. The method for generating electrical current from a nuclear decay process of a radioactive material of claim 76, the method further comprising:
forming a throat opening of said at least one pore so that a throat diameter of less than about a mean free path length of a beta particle emitted from said radioactive material is obtained.
- 78. The method for generating electrical current from a nuclear decay process of a radioactive material of claim 76, the method further comprising:
forming a throat opening of said at least one pore so that a throat diameter of greater than about 1 nm and less than about 500 μm is obtained.
- 79. The method for generating electrical current from a nuclear decay process of a radioactive material of claim 61, the method further comprising:
forming a length of said at least one pore so that said length terminates within a body portion of said bulk silicon material.
- 80. The method for generating electrical current from a nuclear decay process of a radioactive material of claim 61, the method further comprising:
forming a length of said at least one pore so that said length extends entirely through a body portion of said bulk silicon material.
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application is a Continuation-in-Part of U.S. application Ser. No. 10/356,411, filed Jan. 31, 2003, to which application priority it claimed.
Continuation in Parts (1)
|
Number |
Date |
Country |
Parent |
10356411 |
Jan 2003 |
US |
Child |
10373914 |
Feb 2003 |
US |