DEVICE FOR CONVERTING NUCLEAR ENERGY INTO ELECTRICAL ENERGY

• US 3,836,798 A
• Filed: 08/15/1972
• Issued: 09/17/1974
• Est. Priority Date: 05/11/1970
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Wilson Greatbatch
• Original Assignee: Wilson Greatbatch
• Inventors: Greatbatch, Wilson
• Primary Examiner(s): Behrend, Harvey E.
• Application Number:
  US05/280,844
• Time in Patent Office: 763 Days
• Field of Search: 310/3B,3D 128/391,421,422,419P
• US Class Current: 310/303
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/378 Electrical supply
• CPC Class Codes: G21G 4/04 Radioactive sources other than neutron sources radioactive dressings A61N5/1029
• CPC Class Codes: G21H 1/06 Cells wherein radiation is applied to the junction of different semiconductor materials

Abstract

A device for converting nuclear energy into electrical energy comprising a radioactive nuclide, preferably a core of lithium enveloped by a coating of lithium hydride, an energy converting material enveloping the nuclide, and a pair of terminals connected in the converting material. The converting material preferably comprises silicon having diffused therein impurities of p-type and n-type material thereby defining opposite conductivity regions separated by a junction. The terminals are connected to corresponding ones of the regions, and electron-hole pairs are created in the regions upon bombardment by beta particles from the nuclide thereby creating a flow of current across the junction and an electrical potential across the terminals. The device advantageously can be utilized in conjunction with an artificial cardiac pacemaker whereby the stimulating pacemaker output pulses are generated at a non-linear rate.

Claims

2. A device according to claim 1 wherein said radioactive nuclide comprises a core of lithium enveloped by a coating of lithium hydride.

3. A device according to claim 1 further comprising a protective seal enveloping said energy converting material, said seal comprising material capable of venting helium while containing hydrogen gas.