Radioisotope Power Sources for MEMS Devices,
Microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) comprise a rapidly expanding research field with potential applications varying from sensors in airbags to more recent optical applications. Depending on the application, these devices often require an on-board power source for remote operation, especially in cases requiring operation for an extended period of time. Previously suggested power sources include fossil fuels and solar energy, but nuclear power sources may provide significant advantages for certain applications. Hence, the objective of this study is to establish the viability of using radioisotopes to power realistic MEMS devices. A junction-type battery was constructed using silicon and a {sup 63}Ni liquid source. A source volume containing 64 {micro}Ci provided a power of {approx}0.07 nW. A more novel application of nuclear sources for MEMS applications involves the creation of a resonator that is driven by charge collection in a cantilever beam. Preliminary results have established the feasibility of this concept, and future work will optimize the design for various applications.
- Research Organization:
- University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI (US)
- Sponsoring Organization:
- US Department of Energy (US)
- OSTI ID:
- 785347
- Report Number(s):
- ISSN 0003-018X; CODEN TANSAO; ISSN 0003-018X; CODEN TANSAO; TRN: US0108801
- Resource Relation:
- Conference: 2001 Annual Meeting, Milwaukee, WI (US), 06/17/2001--06/21/2001; Other Information: Transactions of the American Nuclear Society, volume 84; PBD: 17 Jun 2001
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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