Radioactive power sources
A radioactive source with a high energy density (105kJ/cm3) can generate thermal energy due to the kinetic energy of emitted particles. Sources such as cesium-137 have a half-life of 30 years and a power capacity of 0.015 W/gm. This method can generate power in the Watt-to-kW range, but isn't practical in low-power sensor levels for IoT deployments. Space vehicles have used this technology for decades. Promising developments using MEMS piezoelectronics that capture electrons and force a micro-armature to move can create mechanical energy that may be harvested. A secondary effect of radioactive decay is the relatively weak power density profile. A radiation source with a long half-life will have weaker power density. ...
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