Active circuits for ultra-high efficiency micropower generators using nickel-63 radioisotope

Integration of beta-volatics with radioisotope-powered piezoelectric micropower generators (RPG) operating in new resonant modes, attains nuclear-electrical conversion efficiencies of up to 30%, generating 1 to 10μW peak power with 1 to 10 milliCurie of Nickel-63. A 20mV-voltage-drop ac-to-dc rectifier employing radioactively biased MOSFETs is developed for efficient conversion of RPG-generated low-amplitude power signals