Nuclear Battery

January 20, 2024

Betavolt, a Chinese startup, has announced that it has developed a revolutionary battery capable of powering smartphones for an impressive 50 years without requiring recharging.
Termed as the world’s first miniaturized atomic energy system, this nuclear battery utilizes Nickel-63 nuclear isotopes compactly arranged within a module smaller than a coin.
The technology operates by converting the energy released from decaying isotopes into electricity.
The startup has commenced pilot testing and intends to mass-produce the battery for various commercial applications, including smartphones and drones.
The initial nuclear battery developed by Betavolt delivers 100 microwatts of power and has a voltage of 3V, while measuring a tiny 15x15x5 cubic millimeters.
The company plans to produce a battery with 1 watt of power by 2025.
The small size of these batteries allows for multiple units to be connected, increasing the power output.
Additionally, the battery can operate in a wide temperature range, from -60 degrees Celsius to 120 degrees Celsius.
The team developed a thin single crystal diamond semiconductor, only 10 microns thick, and placed a 2-micronthick nickel-63 sheet between two diamond semiconductor converters.
The decay energy of the radioactive source is then converted into electrical current.