Enhance simulation capability of beta-voltaic micro battery using MCNPX-SILVACO hybrid code

The accuracy of each simulating beta-voltaic battery parameter is very important, especially in micro-batteries. The aim of this study is to improve the calculation of beta-battery parameters’ accuracy. For this purpose, at first, using the Monte Carlo N-Particle code (MCNPX), the energy accumulation distribution of the 63Ni beta particle spectrum inside a silicon semiconductor has been simulated. Then, the ATLAS C-Interpreter function in C ++ was defined, using one of the SILVACO code abilities (the parameter F.RADIATE BEAM statement). Finally, the device electric parameters have been obtained using ATLAS-SILVACO based on the location-dependent of MCNPX results. For validation, the calculations were performed for a battery sample made of 16 mm2 cross-section and 1 mCi activity of radioisotope 63Ni as a source, and finally, the results were compared with one experimental result and two analytical methods. The calculations repeated for the other sample with 100 mCi activity and 1 cm2 of geometry, and compared its results with an analytical method results. The results showed that the simulation of micro-battery characteristics by the MCNPX-SILVACO hybrid code using three-dimensional electron-hole pairs’ distribution in semiconductor and the full spectrum of beta particles creates a significant increase in the accuracy of the computation, and provides a good capability to optimize the design of the battery.