Background: Betavoltaic battery is a hot spot in micro isotope batteries due to its advantages of small volume

maintenance-free

high energy conversion efficiency

ease of integration and so on. GaN is a promising wide bandgap semiconductor for energy converter of betavoltaic battery. Purpose: This study aims to explore the performance of GaN diode as the energy converter of betavoltaic battery

and to compare it with the performance of Si diode. Methods: Two kinds of GaN and Si PiN diodes were prepared to be the energy converters of betavoltaic batteries

and irradiated by 63Ni and 3H radioactive sources. Their electrical performances

temperature and irradiation tolerance

were compared. Results: The results showed that the Voc of GaN diode was higher than that of Si diode

while Isc was lower; the electrical performance of GaN diode under the conditions of high temperature and high energy irradiation were better than that of Si diode. Conclusion: GaN diode could increase the Voc of betavoltaic battery

and improve electrical performance under high temperature and high energy irradiation conditions. Abstract