The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Oct. 23, 2012
Filed:
Oct. 29, 2009
Brent Allen Clothier, Clifton Park, NY (US);
Matthew Christian Nielsen, Scotia, NY (US);
Todd Ryan Tolliver, Clifton Park, NY (US);
Allen Lawrence Garner, Clifton Park, NY (US);
Brent Allen Clothier, Clifton Park, NY (US);
Matthew Christian Nielsen, Scotia, NY (US);
Todd Ryan Tolliver, Clifton Park, NY (US);
Allen Lawrence Garner, Clifton Park, NY (US);
General Electric Company, Niskayuna, NY (US);
Abstract
A radioisotope power sources that includes radioisotope nanoparticles and scintillator materials. An embodiment of the radioisotope power source includes radioisotope nanoparticles suspended within a polycrystalline scintillator; additional polycrystalline scintillator at least partially surrounding the polycrystalline scintillator with the radioisotope nanoparticles; and a photovoltaic device in light communication with the surrounding polycrystalline scintillator. A system that employs the radioisotope power source and a method of generating an electrical current are also disclosed. The present invention has been described in terms of specific embodiment(s), and it is recognized that equivalents, alternatives, and modifications, aside from those expressly stated, are possible and within the scope of the appending claims.