Study of the Nuclear Structure for Some Target Nuclei Used in the Production of Beta-Emitting Radioactive Isotopes for the Fabrication of Nuclear Batteries

Abstract

The nuclear structure of 40Ar, 112Cd, 133Cs, 151Eu, 154Sm, and 226Ra target nuclei used in nuclear battery technology was investigated. These nuclei are widely used for the radioisotope thermo-electric generator space studies and for betavoltaic battery microelectronic systems. For this purpose, some nuclear static properties were calculated. In particular, the single particle radial nuclear density distribution, the corresponding root mean square radii, neutron skin thicknesses, and binding energies were calculated within the framework of Hartree-Fock approximation with Skyrme interaction. The bremsstrahlung spectra produced by the absorption of beta particles through the betavoltaic process and backscattered photons spectrum were also studied. All the obtained results were compared with available experimental data.

Nuclear batteries: Current context and near‐term expectations

“…Various α‐ and β‐emitting nuclides are presently obtained using large electron accelerators, such as the high power superconducting Linacs that are able to create both proton‐ and neutron‐rich isotopes 22 . The pressing need to produce new radioisotopes specifically designed for the nuclear batteries is pushing the research also towards the identification and setting of nuclear processes, in particular photo‐nuclear reactions and neutron‐capture reactions, with cross‐sections enabling the production of reasonably large amounts of the needed nuclides 23,24 …”

“…22 The pressing need to produce new radioisotopes specifically designed for the nuclear batteries is pushing the research also towards the identification and setting of nuclear processes, in particular photo-nuclear reactions and neutron-capture reactions, with cross-sections enabling the production of reasonably large amounts of the needed nuclides. 23,24 It should be mentioned that some isotopes potentially useful for radio-batteries are by-products of the fission processes taking place in nuclear plants and are found in nuclear waste. Beyond the 241 Am, an example is 85 Kr that represents the 0,28% of the products generated in nuclear reactors.…”