United States Patent (19 11, 3,939,366

Ato et al. (45) Feb. 17, 1976

(54) METHOD OF CONVERTING RADIOACTIVE 2,745,973 5/1956 Rappaport .......................... 30/3 R

ENERGY TO ELECTRIC ENERGY AND 2,87,776 21957 Cohen................................. 31 013 R
2,819,414 1958. Sherwood et al................... 31013 R
DEVICE FOR PERFORMING THE SAME 2,847,585 8ft 958 Christian............................. 30/3 R
75 Inventors: Yasuro Ato; Soji Miyagawa, both of 2,892,964 6/1959 Hanlet................................. 31 013 R
Nagoya, Japan 2,976,433 3/1961 Rappaport et al.................. 31 013 R
3,094,634 6/963 Rappaport .......................... 3.10/3 R
(73) Assignee: Agency of Industrial Science & 3,74474 lf 1973 Hoff, Jr................................... 31 013
Technology, Tokyo, Japan
22 Filed: Oct. 9, 1973 Primary Examiner-Harvey E. Behrend
Attorney, Agent, or Firna-Kurt Kelman
21 ) Appl. No.: 404,425
Related U.S. Application Data (57) ABSTRACT
(63) Continuation of Ser. No. 227,545, Feb. 18, 1972, Radioactive energy is converted to electric energy by
abandoned.
irradiating a converter body of semiconductor mate
(30) Foreign Application Priority Data rial etc. with radioactive rays to produce a number of
Feb. 19, 1971 Japan................................ 46-8144 electron-hole pairs in the converter, applying a mag
netic field to the converter in a direction perpendicu
lar to the direction of diffusion of the electron-hole
(52) U.S. Cl. ................................. 3.10/3 R; 31013 C pairs to separate the electrons and the holes in a direc
(51) int. Cl.’............................................ G21D 7700 tion perpendicular to the direction of diffusion of the
(58) Field of Search............ 31 O/3 R, 3 A, 3 B, 3 C, electron-hole pairs and to the direction of application
30/3 D of the magnetic field and deriving the electrons and
References Cited
the holes from electrodes provided on the respective
(56 end faces of the converter body as electric energy.
UNITED STATES PATENTS
2,695,930 1 1/1954 Wallace, Jr. ........................ 30/3 B 1 Claim, 4 Drawing Figures
U.S. Patent Feb. 17, 1976 3,939,366

NI? I
 3,939,366 2
energy conversion efficiency of this system is less than
METHOD OF CONVERTING RADIOACTIVE 0.4%.
ENERGY TO ELECTRIC ENERGY AND DEVICE c. Three-step type converting system:
FOR PERFORMING THE SAME In this system, radioactive energy from a radioactive
This is a continuation, of application Ser. No. 5 substancesubstances
is used to change the physical state of certain
through two sequential steps and then the
227,545 filed Feb. 18, 1972 now abandoned. resulting state produces electric energy. For example, a
The present invention relates to a method of convert mixture
ing radioactive energy to electric energy and a device material of a radioactive substance and a fluorescent
is sandwiched by a pair of photo-electric cells
for performing the same method.
There is known a method of atomic energy power O and the fluorescent material is illuminated by the radio
active rays from the radioactive substance. The photo
generation in which nuclear fission energy is converted electric cells detect this luminescence and generate an
to thermal energy and thermal energy is further con electromotive force. In general, this system requires a
verted to electric energy. With the development of very complex structure but nevertheless provides poor
such atomic energy power generation, there has been a 15
rapid increase in the amount of radioactive substance; conversion efficiency on the order of less than 0.01%.
d. Heat-engine type converting system:
resulting from the reprocessing of used nuclear reactor
fuel and in the radioactive fission products of nuclear verting This system includes the thermoelectric type con
reactors. Research is being carried out to find uses for method and method, the thermionic type converting
these radioactive substances and, in particular, re 20 and, in sometheofheat engine type converting method,
these methods, there is provided a
search is actively being carried out toward the develop conversion efficiency as high as 5%. However, the de
ment of a device for converting the radioactive energy vices used in these converting methods require very
emitted from such substances to electric energy. That is . complex construction and are not economical.
to say efforts are being put into the development of an As mentioned above, conventional converters of
atomic energy battery. relatively simple construction generally provide rela
Heretofore, there have been known a variety of 25 tively low conversion efficiency. On the other hand,
methods for converting the radioactive energy emitted conventional converters of more complex construction
from radioactive substances into electric energy and, in generally provide higher efficiency but are not eco
general, these conventional methods can be classified nomical.
into the following four systems on the basis of the con 30 The primary object of the present invention is to
verting mechanism. provide a two-step type converting system for convert
a. Direct converting system:
Radioactive energy emitted from the radiocative ing radioactive energy to electric energy and a device
substance is directly converted to electric energy. More for performing the same with a simple construction and
particularly, in one example of the system conversion is with high efficiency.
Other objects and advantages of the present inven
accomplished by either (i) inserting a radioactive sub 35 tion will be apparent from the following description of
stance (or radiation source) into a vacuum glass con the preferred embodiment of the present invention
tainer, the inner wall of which is silverplated and is used
as the collector electrode or (ii) surrounding a radioac with reference to the attached drawings, in which:
tive substance (g radiation source) disposed in a vac 40 FIG. 1 is an explanatory view of the principle of the
uum container with a solid state dielectric which serves present invention;
FIG. 2 is a partially removed perspective view of an
as the collector electrode. However, with this system, embodiment
the conversion efficiency is low, being less than 0.05%, of the present energy converting device;
and thus this system has not been put to practical use. FIG. 3 is a perspective view of another embodiment
b. Two-step type converting system: of the converter device in accordance with the present
This system utilizes two steps for the energy conver 45 invention; and
sion, i.e., radioactive energy emitted from the radioac theFIG. 4 is an enlarged view of the encircled portion of
device in FIG. 3.
tive substance is used first to induce a certain physical The present conversion system belongs to the above
phenomenon and then the phenomenon is caused to mentioned two-step type system in the principle of its
produce electric energy. Examples of this system which 50 operating mechanism. Returning to the drawings, in
have been known are (i) to produce electron-hole pairs
in a semiconductor by irradiating the semiconductor converter body 1 which is radioactive
particular, to FIG. 1 when rays irradiate a
of semiconductor or com
with a radioactive ray from a radioactive substance and pound semiconductor and which is provided with elec
then to derive electric current resulting from an elec trodes 2 and 3 on the opposite ends thereof, in a given
tric field generated at the P-N junction of the semicon 55
ductor which causes electrons to move toward the N direction, a number of electron-hole pairs are pro
type region thereof and the holes toward the P type duced in the vicinity of the irradiated surface of the
region thereof, (ii) to produce recoil electrons due to converter body 1 as shown. The electron-hole pairs
Compton scattering by surrounding a radioactive sub thus produced in the irradiated region of the converter
stance (y radiation source) with an insulating material body 1 diffuse gradually toward the unirradiated region
and then to collect the recoil electrons and (iii) to 60 of the converter body 1, as shown by solid arrows, to
polarize a gas introduced into the space between a pair eliminate the difference in density between the elec
of electrodes of metals, whose work functions are dif trons and the holes. Under these conditions, when a
ferent from each other, by irradiating the gas with a magnetic field is applied to the converter body in a
radioactive ray from a radioactive substance or by direction perpendicular to the direction of diffusion,
introducing a gaseous radioactive substance etc. into 65 the paths of the diffusing electrons and holes are bent
the space and inducing a voltage due to the difference in a direction perpendicular to the direction of diffu
in contact potential difference between the polarized sion of the electron-hole pairs and to the direction of
gas and the respective metal electrodes. However, the the magnetic field, respectively, by Lorentz force, as
 3,939,366
3 4
shown by the broken arrows, so that the holes reach the radiation source), is disposed above the top surface,
electrode 2 and the electrons reach the electrode 3.
The radioactive energy is thus converted to electric field,distance
the
the
therebetween being 2mm, and a magnetic
strength of which is 4800 gausses, is applied
energy which is derived from the electrodes 2 and 3. to the converter body by the pair of magnets, the dis
Any semiconductor or compond semiconductor is tance between the opposite
suitable for use as the converter body in the present an output electric power ofpoles 3.1 x
thereof being 5mm,
10W is obtained
invention so long as it has a high electric charge mobil across electrodes 9 and 10 of the converter body 5. In
ity. For example, Ge, Si, InSb, GaSb, InAs, InAsP, this example, the efficiency of conversion from
PbSe, BigTesor PbTe etc. are appropriate as the semi active energy to electric energy was .4%. In thisradio em
conductor material. O
The radioactive substance used to irradiate the con bodiment, by using a radioactive substance having a
higher radioactivity and providing a higher radiation
verter body may be an o-ray source substance such as
'Po, Am or 'Pu etc., or a low energy B-ray source intensity substance
than that of 'Po, by plating or painting the
on a converter body of a material having a
substance such as “C, S, Cl, 7Pm or 2T1 etc. When higher electric charge mobility than that of Ge and by
a high energy (3-ray source substance is used for this 5 applying a stronger
purpose, the tendency for the electrons and holes to conversion efficiency magnetic field thereto etc., the
can be increased.
diffuse is degraded because the electron-hole pairs are FIG. 3 shows another embodiment of the present
produced not only in the vicinity of the irradiated con invention in perspective view in which a plurality of
verter surface but also in the interior of the converter converter bodies are used.
to thereby decrease the total difference in density be 20 As shown in this figure, three magnetic bodies 11, 12
tween the irradiated surface and the interior of the and 13 are housed in a suitable container (not shown),
converter. As an o-ray source or a low energy g-ray which can prevent the radioactive ray from leaking to
source is used as the radioactive ray source in the pres the exterior.
ent invention, the problem of radioactive ray leakage is The arrangement of these magnetic bodies in the
substantially eliminated. For example, in the case of an 25 container is such that they are juxtaposed and equally
o-ray source, since the radiation from the a-ray source spaced with the faces of opposite magnetic polarity
will be absorbed even by a 5 ~ 6cm sheath of air sur facing each other.
rounding the converter the radiation shielding can be
sufficiently accomplished by a casing of thin metal theInsulating plates 17 of such as mica are provided on
plate. When a g-ray source is used, a braking X-ray is 30 tween the insulatingInplates,
facing surfaces. each of the spaces formed be
a converter body 14, an
emitted from the surface of the converter body upon insulating plate 16 of such as mica, a converter body
irradiation and a thin metal casing will not be sufficient 14, and, so on, are stacked vertically and plate-like
for shielding purposes. However no leakage to the exte yoke 18 of material having high magnetic permeability
rior of such braking radiation will occur when a casing is provided on the cuter surfaces of the outer most
of lead plate having thickness of 3 ~ 5mm is used. 35 magnetic bodies 11 and 13. By arranging the converter
The radioactive substances produced by reprocessing bodies, the insulating plates and the radioactive sub
of used nuclear fuel or the fission products of nuclear stances in this manner, a plurality of very compact
reaction may be used as the radioactive source in this converter devices can be readily realized in each col
invention. umn, and by connecting the opposite electrodes (not
Although the radioactive substance may be merely 40 shown) provided on the opposite ends of the converter
positioned in the vicinity of the converter body in such bodies suitably in series or in parallel, a compact
a manner that the radioactive rays from it irradiate one atomic energy battery having an excellent energy con
of the side surfaces of the converter body, the produc version efficiency can be obtained. By way of example,
tion of the electron-hole pairs in the converter body in one embodiment each unit converter body 14 was an
can be increased by painting or electrically plating the 45 InSb monocrystaline body whose size after the distor
radioactive substance on the side surface of the con tion due to fabrication was substantially removed was
verter body. 10mm in length, 1.5mm in width and 0.5mm in thick
The magnetic field can be produced by means of a ness. Two stacks of ten each of such converter bodies
permanent magnet bonded to the converter body. A (twenty in total) were built in the spaces or columns
higher magnetic field provides better bending of the 50 between the adjacent insulating plates 17 and 'Po, 5
electrons and the holes produced in the converter body mCi, was sandwiched between adjacent converter bod
and hence higher energy conversion efficiency. It is
preferable to use a magnet (such as unisotropic ferrite) ies as the radioactive substance 15. The magnetic bod
which can provide relatively high magnetic field in of 1,500 of
ies were strontium ferrite and, when a magnetic field
gausses was applied, an electric power of 2.7
order to keep the size of the device at a minimum. 55 X 10W was obtained across the opposite electrodes
FIG. 2 shows an embodiment of the present con of the battery. In this case the conversion efficiency
verter in partially removed perspective view, in which a from radioactive energy to electric energy was 1.8%. In
converter body 4 is supported on a support 7 of plastic this case, if the radioactive substance is painted or
disposed within a container 8 of brass for shielding the plated on the converter bodies, the battery can be fur
radioactive ray. A magnet 6 is provided in order to 60 ther miniaturized.
apply a magnetic field to the converter body 4 and In addition, by coating the surface of the magnetic
another container 5 containing therein a radioactive bodies with extremely thin mica bodies or nylon coat
substance is provided on top of the converter body 4.
The converter body 4 may, by way of example, be a Ge ing and using electronic techniques to attach thereto
semiconductor terminals and leads and then using a
mono-crystaline material of 10mm in length, 3mm in 65 mask to apply semiconductor material to selected areas
width and 2mm in thickness which is substantially free and radioactive substance between these areas, as
from distortion resulting from its production. When shown in FIG. 4, a very compact atomic energy battery
radioisotope Po at a dose of 10 mCi (vapor deposited can be obtained.
 3,939,366 6
5 from the magnetic body by an insulating plate, a layer
The present invention provides an atomic energy
battery which has a substantially higher energy conver of Po radioactive substance sandwiched between
sion efficiency with respect to the conventional two adjacent semi-conductor bodies and disposed to pro
step type energy conversion system, and which is capa duce electron hole pairs in said semi-conductor bodies,
ble of being miniaturized because of its very simple wherein said electron hole pairs diffuse toward an unir
construction. It further provides a battery of long life radiated region of said semi-conductor bodies to elemi
and very high reliability since no control or regulator nate the differences in density between electrons and
mechanism is required and repair and maintainance are holes in each of said semiconductor bodies, said mag
made unnecessary. The atomic energy battery in accor O netic bodies separating said electrons and said holes
dance with the present invention is compact and opera from each other by means of the resultant magnetic
ble at high or low temperature, at high pressure or in a field wherein said electrons and holes are caused to
vacuum and even in a nongravity region. move in a direction perpendicular to the direction of
It will be apparent that this invention is not limited to diffusion of the electron-hole pairs, and a U-shaped
the specific structure described and that the present S plate member of high magnetic permeability disposed
invention is capable of numerous variations within the by the leg members thereof on the outer surfaces of
scope of the appended claims, said first and third magnetic bodies, said U-shaped
What is claimed is: plate member supporting the magnetic bodies and said
1. A device for converting radioactive energy to elec stacked semi-conductor bodies in association, each of
tric energy, said device comprising in combination, a said semi-conductor bodies having electrodes on oppo
first, second and third magnetic body, a plurality of 20 site sides thereof to receive separated electron-hole
InSb monocrystalline semi-conductor bodies stacked pairs of electric energy generated within each of the
vertically between said first and second and between semi-conductor bodies.
said second and third magnetic body, each stacked k sk s: st k
plurality of semi-conductor bodies being separated 25

30

35

40

45

50

55

60

65