GaP nanowire betavoltaic device

A betavoltaic device is reported that directly converts beta energy from a ⁶³Ni radioisotope into electrical energy by impact ionization in a GaP nanowire array. The GaP nanowires are grown in a periodic array by molecular beam epitaxy on silicon using the self-assisted vapor-liquid-solid method. By growing GaP nanowires with large packing fraction and length on the order of the maximum beta range, the nanowires can efficiently capture the …