Analytical model of a nanowire-based betavoltaic device

An analytical device physics model is presented for determining the energy conversion efficiency of semiconductor nanowire array-based radial (core–shell) p-i-n junction betavoltaic cells for two- and three-dimensional radioisotope source geometries. Optimum short-circuit current density J sc, open-circuit voltage V oc, fill factor F F, and energy conversion efficiency η are determined for various nanowire properties, including dopant concentration, nanowire length, core diameter, and shell thickness, for Si, GaAs, and GaP material systems. A maximum efficiency of 8.05 % was obtained for GaP nanowires with diameter 200 nm (p-core diameter, i-shell, and n-shell thicknesses of 24, 29.4, and 58.6 nm, respectively), length 10 μ m, acceptor and donor concentrations of 10 19 and 5 × 10 18 cm − 3, respectively, and a 3D source geometry.