DEVICE FOR GENERATING ELECTRIC CURRENT BY CONVERTING THE ENERGY OF RADIO-CHEMICAL BETA-DECAY OF C-14 Russian patent published in 2020 - IPC G21H1/02 H01L31/115 

FIELD: physics.

SUBSTANCE: invention relates to a device for direct conversion of energy of radiochemical beta-decay of an isotope into a potential difference and is intended for use in autonomous systems as a source of direct current. Device comprises semiconductor structure of planar or vertical design with p-n junction, radioisotopic material with pure beta-decay, longer period and sufficient half-life activity, electric terminals for switching of structural elements into electric circuit, allowing to control characteristics by current and voltage; device also has housing providing environmental safety of use. Semiconductor structure used is a silicon carbide heterostructure on a monocrystalline silicon substrate, wherein the molecular form of silicon carbide includes a carbon-14 radioisotope. Fraction of the radio-carbon isotope C-14 in the structure of silicon carbide with respect to carbon C-12 ranges from 10^-6 to 10^-3 %. Variant with silicon carbide porous structure is also possible.

EFFECT: increased specific energy characteristics of converter to electric energy of radio-chemical decay of carbon-14 using heterostructure of silicon carbide on silicon substrate as direct energy converter.

8 cl, 5 dwg