A NUCLEAR-PHOTON ENERGY CONVERSION STUDY. Quarterly Technical Report No. 2, July 1, 1962 to September 30, 1962

Technical Report · Mon Oct 01 04:00:00 EDT 1962

OSTI ID:4710899

Watts, H V; Nudelman, S

The characteristics of silicon p-n junction photovoltaic cells were experimentally studied to determine their operational properties for use in a nuclear-photon energy conversion system. Beta particles from a radioisotope source are absorbed by a luminescent material which emits a multiplicity of low energy photons. These photons are converted to electrical energy by a photovoltaic device. Gamma radiation from Co/sup 60/ produced a significant efficiency loss above 100,000 r. The silicon cell efficiency was observed to decrease nearly linearly with increased temperature in the range of 25 to 180 l C at a rate of about 0.65% per degree centigrade. A marked efficiency decrease at low illumination intensities, which is expected from the beta excited phosphor, was observed for the silicon cell tested. (auth)

• Research Organization: Illinois Inst. of Tech., Chicago. Armour Research Foundation
• NSA Number: NSA-17-024034
• OSTI ID: 4710899
• Report Number(s): ARF-1214-TR-2; AD-286024
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

ABSORPTION
BETA PARTICLES
COBALT 60
CONVERSION
EFFICIENCY
ELECTRICITY
EMISSION
ENERGY
EXCITATION
GAMMA RADIATION
LOSSES
LUMINESCENCE
MULTIPLICATION FACTORS
OPERATION
PHOSPHORS
PHOTONS
PHYSICS
PLANNING
QUANTITATIVE ANALYSIS
RADIATION SOURCES
RADIOISOTOPES
SEMICONDUCTORS
SILICON
TEMPERATURE
TESTING