NUCLEAR

MICROBATTERY
The daintiest dynamos

BY:
SOURASHI MONDAL
STREAM :AEIE
Roll No: 56
Year
: IInd

CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION
NUCLEAR MICRO
BATTERY
CLASSIFICATION
SOURCE
CONSIDERATION
Ni-63 AS A SOURCE
ADVANTAGES
DISADVANTAGES
APPLICATIONS
CONCLUSION

acknowledgment
I would like to express my gratitude
towards the members ,volunteers and
teachers associated with the Institute
of Engineers of Asansol Engineering
College, for providing us with this
golden oppourtunity to express and
share our ideas through Seminar. This
journey has been extremely educational
as I have been able to grasp and learn a
lot from this .

INTRODUCTION
For several
decades Electronic
Mechanical devices has been shrinking at a
famously dizzying pace but the same does
not go for the batteries that power them.
They consume significant portion of the
volume yet do not provide enough energy.
Nuclear sources provide an intriguing
Scientists
have
a
option in terms of power
density
and found
life.
way of harnessing the
energy of nuclear sources
by developing Nuclear
Microbattery .

Nuclear microbattery
Nuclear Microbatteries use the incredible
amount of energy released naturally by
tiny bits of radio -active material without
any fission or fusion taking place inside the
battery.
Radio active films are packed in high
energy density hence small shape and size.
The films are made of
Isotopes of Nickle or
Polonium.

CLASSIFICATION
Junction Type Nuclear Microbattery :
Consists of small quantity of Ni-63 placed
near a silicon p-n junction diode . It directly
converts high energy particles emitted by
radioactive source into electric current .
1.1 Working Decaying Ni-63 emits beta
particles which fly out of the
unstable nucleus.
Particles ionize diodes
atoms,exciting
unpaired electron and holes.

Separated electrons and

holes , streamed away from
the junction produce current.

Self Reciprocating Cantilever

Type :
It involves more direct use
of charged particles
produced by decay of
radioactive source Ni-63,
through creation of a
resonator due to collection
of charged particles.

1.2 Working Radioactive beta source

decays and emits electrons.
Copper beam collects
electrons and becomes
positively charged.
Electrostatic force is
experienced by the beam
which bends it.
Beam contacts a grounded
element, discharges and
returns to original position.
Experiment is performed in
vacuum where bending can be

SOURCE
CONSIDERATION
The Radioactive
Isotope must
meet the following requirements
as a power source:
Safety , reliability and low cost.
Half life of the isotope must be
high
enough , which decides
the life of battery.
Decaying isotope must remain
stable.
Energy of the emitted particles
must be low so that they do not

Ni-63 as the
Source
Ni -63 is ideal , it emits beta radiation hence
do not require shielding.
They have a long half life period of 100 yrs .
Beta particles travel a distance of 21-m in
silicon before disintegrating , hence do not
escape the battery.
Power of 3 nanowatts is produced with 0.1
millicurie of Ni-63 isotope.
After decay the new isotope i.e. Cu-63 is
stable .

ADVANTAGES
Nuclear microbatteries can power devices
for decades.
Do not require refueling or recharging.
Compact size due to high energy density.
Do not cause health hazards ,can be safely
contained in a simple plastic package.
Environmental impact of disposing of these
micro devices is minimal.
Use of nuclear micro batteries will help in
restoration of energy resources such as fossil
fuels.

DISADVANTAG
ES
High initial cost of
production since it is in its
experimental stage.
Extra security measures
for radiological safety of
workers during
manufacturing.
Self reciprocating type
cantilever micro battery
requires vacuum
condition , hence limited
purpose.

APPLICATIONS
Used to power MEMS ( Micro
Electro- Mechanical Systems) ,
simple processors.
Used in environmental and
battlefield sensors.
Power for spacecraft
instrumentation.
Used in actuators and resonators.

CONCLUSION
Nuclear microbattery is an upcoming
technology which is going to revolutionize
the way power is being supplied to devices
.These daintiest dynamos will become the
solution of the energy crisis we are facing
these days.
These wonders have the capability of
providing power to a device for decades .
There will be soon a day when this
technology will be incorporated in cellphones and automobiles . The days of
recharging and refueling will be gone. It is
believed that this technology is going to

REFERENCE
S

Paper on A Nuclear Micro battery on

MEMS Device published by University
of Wisconsin , Madison.
Paper on Nuclear Micro Battery by
IEEE Spectrum.
Paper on The Daintiest Dynamos by
Seminars only.

THANK YOU