FLEXIBLE BETA-VOLTAIC ELEMENT Russian patent published in 2017 - IPC G21H1/06 

FIELD: electricity.

SUBSTANCE: element contains a source of beta radiation in the form of a radioactive foil isotope, which is surrounded by at least one semiconductor converter adjacent to it. The converter is made in the form of a foil made of valve metal (for example, Ni, Nb, Zr, V), on the surface of which, facing the radiation source, a layer of a semiconductor oxide of the mentioned valve metal is formed, passing an electric current in only one direction, provided with at least one electrical contact applied to this layer. The ability of the semiconductor oxide layer of the valve metal to pass the current in only one direction is provided either by the fact that the electrical contact applied to this layer is made as a continuous metal coating forming a Schottky barrier with the mentioned semiconductor oxide or by the fact that a rectifying heterostructure is formed in the mentioned layer.

EFFECT: optimisation of the weight and dimensional properties of the beta-voltaic element.

4 cl, 2 dwg