Radioisotopic battery and capacitor system for powering Wireless Sensor Networks

•A power source for a Wireless Sensor Network (WSN) was developed.•The power source was an indirect conversion radioisotopic battery & capacitor system.•The maximum power generated by this system was 575nW at 0.34% conversion efficiency.•The battery generated insufficient power to directly power a WSN node.•A more efficient or larger battery would power a WSN. A power source consisting of an indirect conversion radioisotopic battery and a capacitor is developed in order to power a Wireless Sensor Network (WSN) sensor node. Design, fabrication and testing of this power source is undertaken and reported upon. The storage capacitor was charged at a maximum determined power of 575nW by the radioisotopic battery. The power cycle requirements of a WSN sensor node are examined and separated into clearly delineated segments. The power source under examination may be suitable to provide all or only some of the segments of power required by a WSN sensor node.