B12P2: Improved Epitaxial Growth and Evaluation of Alpha Irradiation on its Electrical Transport Properties
- Kansas State Univ., Manhattan, KS (United States)
The wide bandgap (3.35 eV) semiconductor icosahedral boron phosphide (B12P2) has been reported to self-heal from radiation damage from β particles (electrons) with energies up to 400 keV by demonstrating no lattice damage using transmission electron microscopy. This property could be exploited to create radioisotope batteries–semiconductor devices that directly convert the decay energy from a radioisotope to electricity. Such devices potentially have enormous power densities and decades-long lifetimes. To date, the radiation hardness of B12P2 has not been characterized by electrical measurements nor have B12P2 radioisotope batteries been realized. Therefore, this study was undertaken to evaluate the radiation hardness of B12P2 after improving its epitaxial growth, developing ohmic electrical contacts, and reducing the residual impurities. Subsequently, the effects of radiation from a radioisotope on the electrical transport properties of B12P2 were tested.
- Research Organization:
- Lawrence Livermore National Lab. (LLNL), Livermore, CA (United States)
- Sponsoring Organization:
- USDOE
- DOE Contract Number:
- AC52-07NA27344
- OSTI ID:
- 1361597
- Report Number(s):
- LLNL-TH-705908; LLNL-ABS-706086
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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