Electrochemical deposition of a radionuclide nickel-63 on betavoltaic cells for a nuclear battery based on silicon p-i-n junctions

Abstract

Abstract This paper highlights the manufacturing process of two types of betavoltaic cells with a source coated with 63Ni: the flat one and one with a three-dimensional (3D) microchannel structure, obtained by anodizing silicon (Si). Thin-layer deposition of a nickel-63 radionuclide was carried out from the ammonium-citrate based electrolyte solution, designed for production until exhaustion.