• Journal of Radiation Industry
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• v.9 no.4
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• pp.167-170
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• 2015

Radioisotope (Nuclear) battery using $^{63}Ni$ was prepared as beta cell. The electroplated $^{63}Ni$ on Ni foil is fabricated, and beta cell and photovoltaic hybrid battery was designed to use at both day and night in space project. A Ni-plating solution is prepared by dissolving metal particles including $^{62}Ni$ and $^{63}Ni$ from neutron irradiation of ($n,{\gamma}$). Electroplating solution of a chloride bath consists on nickel ions in HCl, $H_3BO_3$, and KOH. The deposition was carried out at current density of $10mA\;cm^{-2}$. The prepared beta source was attached on a PN junction and measured I-V properties. The power output at activity of 0.07 mCi and 0.45 mCi were 0.55 pW and 2.69 nW, respectively.

• Proceedings of the Korean Magnestics Society Conference
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• 2014.11a
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• pp.176-176
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• 2014

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.48 no.3
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• pp.773-777
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• 2016

A betavoltaic battery was prepared using radioactive $^{63}Ni$ attached to a three-dimensional single trenched P-N absorber. The optimum thickness of a $^{63}Ni$ layer was determined to be approximately $2{\mu}m$, considering the minimum self-shielding effect of beta particles. Electroplating of radioactive $^{63}Ni$ on a nickel (Ni) foil was carried out at a current density of $20mA/cm^2$. The difference of the short-circuit currents ($I_{sc}$) between the pre- and post-deposition of $^{63}Ni$ (16.65 MBq) on the P-N junction was 5.03 nA, as obtained from the I-V characteristics. An improved design with a sandwich structure was provided for enhancing performance.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.54 no.10
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• pp.3811-3815
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• 2022

Ni-63 is pure beta source which emits low energy beta particles. The Ni-63 sources were fabricated to develop the beta-voltaic battery which converts decay energy into electrical energy for power generation. Activity distribution of the source was important factor of power producibility of the beta-voltaic battery. Liquid scintillation counter widely used for measurement of low energy beta emitters was not suitable to measure activity distribution. In this study, we used the peeled-off Gafchromic™ EBT3 film to measure the activity distribution of the Ni-63 source. Absorbed dose was increased proportionally to the source activity and exposure duration. The low energy beta particles could transport the energy into the active layer without the polyester protective layer. Also, Activity distribution was measured by using the peeled-off EBT3 film. Two-dimensional dosimetric distribution was suitable to measure the activity distribution. To use the peeled-off EBT3 film is user-friendly and cost-effective method for quality assurance of the Ni-63 sources for the beta-voltaic battery.

• Journal of Radiation Industry
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• v.8 no.3
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• pp.141-146
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• 2014

Nickel (Ni) electroplating was implemented by using a metal Ni powder in order to establish a $^{63}Ni$ plating condition on the PN junction semiconductor needed for production of beta-voltaic battery. PN junction semiconductors with a Ni seed layer of 500 and $1000{\AA}$ were coated with Ni at current density from 10 to $50mA\;cm^{-2}$. The surface roughness and average grain size of Ni deposits were investigated by XRD and SEM techniques. The roughness of Ni deposit was increased as the current density was increased, and decreased as the thickness of Ni seed layer was increased. The results showed that the optimum surface shape was obtained at a current density of $10mA\;cm^{-2}$ in seed layer with thickness of $500{\AA}$, $20mA\;cm^{-2}$ of $1000{\AA}$. Also, pure Ni deposit was well coated on a PN junction semiconductor without any oxide forms. Using the line width of (111) in XRD peak, the average grain size of the Ni thick firm was measured. The results showed that the average grain size was increased as the thickness of seed layer was increased.

• Electronics and Telecommunications Trends
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• v.32 no.6
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• pp.40-47
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• 2017

One of the main technical constraints of a conventional battery is the limited lifetime of electric energy supplied. With self-power generation using an internal radioisotope as an emitter of beta particles, and a PN-junction semiconductor as an absorber of the beta particles, a betavoltaic battery can provide electric energy to electric devices in a semi-permanent manner. Hence, a betavoltaic battery can be adopted as the solution to the power source issue of IoT devices placed in locations that people cannot easily access, such as in the deep sea, a desert, and space, and requiring a long operation time without an electrical charging. This paper covers the current trends in betavoltaic batteries including issues regarding their technology, application, and patents.

• Journal of the Korean Society for Precision Engineering
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• v.33 no.4
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• pp.271-277
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• 2016

For a stable electric power supply in the space, nuclear batteries have been used as the main power source in a spacecraft owing to their long lifetime and high reliability. In accordance with the plan for lunar mission in Korea, nuclear batteries will supply electricity to the rover that needs to be developed. According to the information about the estimated payload, Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute started with the conceptual design based on the previous studies in USA and Russia. Because a nuclear battery converts the decay heat of the radioisotope into electricity, thermal design, radiation shield, and shock protection need to be considered. In this study, two types of nuclear batteries, radial type and axial type, were designed according to the alignment of the thermoelectric module. Heat transfer analyses were performed to compare their thermoelectric efficiency, and test mockups were fabricated to evaluate their performances.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.51 no.8
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• pp.1978-1982
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• 2019

The paper presents the electrical performance measurements of a prototype nuclear battery and two types of betavoltaic cells. The electrical performance was assessed by measuring current-voltage properties (I-V) and determining the short-circuit current and the open-circuit voltage. With ⁶³Ni as an irradiation source, the open-circuit voltage and the short-circuit current were determined as 1 V and 64 nA, respectively. The prototype consisted of 10 betavoltaic cells that were prepared using radioactive ⁶³Ni. Electroplating of the radioactive ⁶³Ni on an ohmic contact (Ti-Ni) was carried out at a current density of 20 mA/㎠. Two types of betavoltaic cells were studied: with an external ⁶³Ni source and a ⁶³Ni-covered source. Under irradiation of the ⁶³Ni source with an activity of 10 mCi, the open-circuit voltage V_oc of the fabricated cells reached 151 mV and 109 mV; the short-circuit current density J_sc was measured to be 72.9 nA/cm2 and 64.6 nA/㎠, respectively. The betavoltaic cells had the fill factor of 55% and 50%, respectively.

• Journal of Radiation Industry
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• v.11 no.3
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• pp.173-179
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• 2017

The small-scale electroplating device was designed and fabricated for Ni-63 sealed source (foil type) with a high specific activity needed for production of betavoltaic battery. The condition of Ni electroplating was optimized by using fabricated electroplating device to establish a Ni-63 electroplating condition on the Ni foil. The results showed that the optimum surface morphology and thickness of Ni deposit was obtained for 1,758 seconds at a current density of $15mA{\cdot}cm^{-2}$ with 0.5% tween 20. Radioisotope Ni-63 electroplating was implemented under established condition. The radioactivity of Ni-63 sealed source was calculated to $28mCi{\cdot}cm^{-2}$, and the thickness of Ni-63 deposit was about $2.4{\mu}m$.