SBIR/STTR Award attributes
Innovative Advanced Materials (IAM), Inc., founded by Dr. W. Alan Doolittle, proposes to demonstrate new betavoltaic fuel source innovations and to utilize recent materials advances (last two years) that facilitate a new geometry betavoltaic energy convertor that circumvents many of the previous power limiting bottlenecks. The proprietary IAM “TJ LEG” architecture will allow for: a) efficient use of various power density isotopes not previously possible due to concerns regarding semiconductor damage; b) high voltage (many 10’s of volts) devices in part realized by the new architecture but with added endurance via use of radiation resistant wide bandgap materials; c) the highest possible power density through the unique proprietary geometry, and d) a realistic, low liability, safe method of manufacturing, packaging and shielding the atomic battery. Furthermore, as a semiconductor device developer and tool integrator, IAM is in the perfect position to commercialize the devices having access to both semiconductor growth, fabrication and commercialization technologies. Founder Doolittle is well versed and published in the betavoltaic and wide bandgap community having the single example in the literature that facilitates the new device geometry. Principle investigator Brown is experienced in particle physics and has expertise in epitaxy and epitaxy tool development.
