The research group of Dr. Dong-Seok Kim and Jun-Joon Yoon of the Accelerator Utilization Research Department of the Proton Science Research Group at the Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute (KAERI) has developed a new beta battery structure based on gallium nitride.
The Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute (KAERI) announced on February 8 that the group of Dr. Kim Dong-Seok Kim and Yoon-Joon Yoon of the Accelerator Utilization Research Department of the Proton Science Research Group (PSRG) has developed a new gallium nitride-based beta cell structure.
A beta battery is a battery that converts beta-ray electrons emitted by a radioisotope into electricity without the need for an external power source, such as the sun or wind. Because it can be used for long periods of time without needing to be individually recharged or replaced, it is a next-generation power source for electronic devices and human-implanted medical devices used in extreme environments such as space, polar regions, and the deep ocean.
The technology and design methodology proposed in this study to improve power generation efficiency is different from existing methods, and the researchers have acquired intellectual property rights. In the future, it plans to prototype beta batteries using the new structure, validate their performance, and then facilitate commercialization.
Lee Jae-sang, director of the Accelerator Utilization Research Department, said, "The new beta battery is more efficient and stable than existing beta batteries. It should be widely used in electronic devices for extreme environments where it is difficult to recharge, as well as for sensors for bridges, dams and tunnels where it is difficult to replace batteries."
The beta battery structure developed this time was designed using ion beam technology owned by the Atomic Energy Research Institute. It can significantly improve power conversion efficiency and output compared to existing batteries, hence its rising expectations.
The beta battery generates electricity by utilizing electron holes created when beta-ray electrons emitted by a radioactive isotope collide with a semiconductor. The researchers designed the junctions as "cross-junction structures" that are interlocked (similar to blocks) to improve conversion efficiency. In addition, a barrier layer is formed to block the flow of charge underneath the substrate to minimize leakage power loss and increase total output power.
The cross-junction structure enables the realization of multiple PN junction structures in close proximity to the radioisotope that is the energy source, ensuring a wider electron-hole pair generation region than existing "stacked junction structures".
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