Experiments and modeling on effects of temperature on electrical performance of a betavoltaic

Abstract

Betavoltaic cells’ electrical performance was assessed by measuring current-voltage properties (I-V curves) and determining short-circuit current and open-circuit voltage. These properties were obtained on three betavoltaics under temperature cycles between −30°C and 70°C. Results indicated that the open-circuit voltage decreased as temperature increased and changes in short-circuit current were negligible, but betavoltaic cells were operational in the tested temperature range. In addition, a semi-empirical method to predict betavoltaic performance was developed. An I-V curve of the betavoltaic cell is taken at a reference temperature where the open-circuit voltage and short-circuit current is derived. Variations in the semiconductor’s band gap energy are used to predict the open-circuit voltage at various temperatures within 10% error and was compared with City Labs’ NanoTritium™ batteries.