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

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. 3.3 mCi/cm(2) thin-film radioisotope Ni-63 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 (V-OC) of 26 mV, short circuit current density (J(SC)) of 2.19 mu A/cm(2) and energy conversion efficiency (eta) of 5.20%. (C) 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.Engineering, Electrical & ElectronicInstruments & InstrumentationSCI(E)EI0ARTICLEchangyiyang@pku.edu.cn; ccc2108@gmail.com; liupeng9177@pku.edu.cn; zhangjinwen@pku.edu.cn17-2121