Nuclear binding-energy difference → Electrical work

Matrix context

D = disequilibrium row · C = coupling family column. A cell reads the state of the atlas for that pair.

D.20 × C.26 · Nuclear binding-energy difference × Radiovoltaicfamily: Radiovoltaic

Steps

1. 01
   Nuclear binding-energy difference —drives→ Radioactive decayestablishedclaim record

   nuclear → nuclear

   radioisotope required

   refs [1]
2. 02
   Radioactive decay —produces→ Alpha particlesestablishedclaim record

   nuclear → nuclear

   • alpha emitters such as Pu-238, Am-241, Po-210

   refs [1] [2]
3. 03
   Alpha particles —drives→ Alphavoltaic effectestablishedclaim record

   nuclear → electronic-excitation · loss to thermal

   • alpha particles stopped within tens of micrometres of a semiconductor junction; displacement damage degrades output far faster than for beta sources

   solid · semiconductor required · radioisotope required

   refs [2] [1]
4. 04
   Alphavoltaic effect —produces→ Electron–hole pairsestablishedclaim record

   electronic-excitation → electronic-excitation

   refs [2]
5. 05
   Electron–hole pairs —converts into→ Electrical workestablishedclaim record

   electronic-excitation → electrical · loss to thermal

   • the junction field separates the pair and the carriers reach the contacts before recombining

   solid · semiconductor required

   refs [3] [4]

Evidence for the complete composition · 0

No source on record for this exact composition. The sources below support the individual steps, not the route as a whole.

Evidence for the constituent relations · 4

1. [1]
   M. A. Prelas, et al.. A review of nuclear batteries (2014)

   Progress in Nuclear Energy 75, 117–148 · doi:10.1016/j.pnucene.2014.04.007 · crossref ✓ 2026-09-19 · record
2. [2]
   M. G. Spencer, T. Alam. High power direct energy conversion by nuclear batteries (2019)

   Applied Physics Reviews 6, 031305 · doi:10.1063/1.5123163 · crossref ✓ 2026-09-20 · record
3. [3]
   W. Shockley, H. J. Queisser. Detailed balance limit of efficiency of p-n junction solar cells (1961)

   Journal of Applied Physics 32, 510–519 · doi:10.1063/1.1736034 · crossref ✓ 2026-09-19 · record
4. [4]
   C. Kittel. Introduction to Solid State Physics (8th ed.) (2005)

   Wiley · book, no DOI · record