Tritium-powered radiation sensor network

Marc S. Litz; Johnny A. Russo; Dimos Katsis

doi:10.1117/12.2222177

12 May 2016 Tritium-powered radiation sensor network

Marc S. Litz, Johnny A. Russo, Dimos Katsis

Proceedings Volume 9824, Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear, and Explosives (CBRNE) Sensing XVII; 982412 (2016) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.2222177
Event: SPIE Defense + Security, 2016, Baltimore, MD, United States

Abstract

Isotope power supplies offer long-lived (100 years using ⁶³Ni), low-power energy sources, enabling sensors or communications nodes for the lifetime of infrastructure. A tritium beta-source (12.5-year half-life) encapsulated in a phosphor-lined vial couples directly to a photovoltaic (PV) to generate a trickle current into an electrical load. An inexpensive design is described using commercial-of-the-shelf (COTS) components that generate 100 μW_e for nextgeneration compact electronics/sensors. A matched radiation sensor has been built for long-duration missions utilizing microprocessor-controlled sleep modes, low-power electronic components, and a passive interrupt driven environmental wake-up. The low-power early-warning radiation detector network and isotope power source enables no-maintenance mission lifetimes.

Citation Download Citation

Marc S. Litz, Johnny A. Russo, and Dimos Katsis "Tritium-powered radiation sensor network", Proc. SPIE 9824, Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear, and Explosives (CBRNE) Sensing XVII, 982412 (12 May 2016); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.2222177

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