Direct Nuclear to Electric Conversion

I had previously proposed direct heat to electric conversion using a novel Thermoelectronic Energy Conversion method. This method can be enhanced to operate on radioactive materials as well.

My proposition is to generate high energy electrons using gamma rays and then store them. Most widely used gamma ray emitter is Cobalt 60. It converts the energy of fast neutrons to gamma rays. These gamma rays can be used to remove and accelerate the outermost electrons of Rubidium. I chose Rubidium due to its low work function (energy required to strip an electron). It is also more abundant than Cesium which has slightly lower work function. Additionally, Rubidium is a better electric conductor than Cesium. Rubidium has a very low density and has a very large atomic radius which is not ideal to stop gamma rays. Therefore, a lead layer would be used to stop the gamma rays to propagate further. Ideally, most of the gamma rays should be used to excite electrons not to excite the nucleus of an atom.

The excited electrons would be further accelerated by the high potential on the plate of the setup. Like in a pentode vacuum tube. The electrons will be collected on the collector of the setup. The collected electrons would then be pumped into capacitors using special charge pump circuitry so that the circuit would be completed. In order to maintain a potential difference between the rubidium emitter and the aluminum collector, aluminum oxide layer will be used. The thickness of the layer would be such that it would allow electrons with certain potential difference.