Patent Number: 041785240
Section: claims

1. A radioisotope photoelectric generator which comprises: a plurality of spaced first plates each of which is formed of a material with an atomic number greater than 46 with each of said first plates connected electrically to each other and having a thickness of less than one electron range at the maximum photon energy;  a plurality of spaced second plates each of which is formed of a material with an atomic number less than 23 with said second plates alternating with said first plates and connected electrically to each other with each of said second plates having a thickness of more than one electron range at the maximum photon source energy;  electrical insulation between each of said first and second plates, said insulation having a thickness of less than one electron range at the maximum energy of the photon source;  one or more grids inserted between each of said first and second plates;  means for applying a potential to each of said grids to suppress secondary electron emission; and  a photon--producing radioactive source of energy less than 1 MeV assembled relative to said first and second plurality of plates,  so that photons produced by said radioactive source interact preferentially with said first plurality of plates to eject electrons therefrom and transfer charge to said second plurality of plates thereby producing a potential between adjacent plates capable of sustaining a current in an electrical load.  a plurality of spaced first plates each of which is formed of a material with an atomic number greater than 46 with each of said first plates connected electrically to each other and having a thickness of less than one electron range at the maximum photon energy;  a plurality of spaced second plates each of which is formed of a material with an atomic number less than 23 with said second plates alternating with said first plates and connected electrically to each other with each of said second plates having a thickness of more than one electron range at the maximum photon source energy;  electrical insulation between each of said first and second plates, said insulation having a thickness of less than one electron range at the maximum energy of the photon source;  a photon--producing radioactive source of energy less than 1 MeV assembled relative to said first and second plurality of plates,  so that photons produced by said radioactive source interact preferentially with said first plurality of plates to eject electrons therefrom and transfer charge to said second plurality of plates thereby producing a potential between adjacent plates capable of sustaining a current in an electrical load connected electrically across said first and second plurality of plates and  the impedances of said electrical load and the plate and insulator thicknesses are selected to adjust the photoelectron energy deposited as heat in the plates and insulation so that the RPEG may be used as a combined heat and electrical power source.  said radioactive source is selected from the group consisting of cobalt 57, cadmium 109, tin 199 m, gadolinium 153, and gold 195.  more than one different type of radioactive source is used as the photon--producing radioactive source.  each of said first plates comprises tantalum.  each of said first plates comprises lead.  each of said first plates comprises gold.  each of said second plates comprises aluminum.  each of said second plates comprises magnesium.  each of said first plates comprises tantalum, and have a thickness of about 5.8 microns; and  each of said second plates comprises aluminum, and have a thickness of about 21 microns; and  said radioactive source has an energy of about 50 KeV.  each of said first plates comprises a low-Z material to provide structural strength and a surface coating of less than one electron range at the maximum photon energy of high-Z material on both surfaces.  each of said first plates is selected from the group consisting of bismuth, platinum, tungsten, tin, and silver.  each of said second plates is selected from the group consisting of beryllium, carbon, calcium, and titanium.  each of said first plates is selected from the group consisting of iridium and rhenium.  a plurality of spaced first plates each of which is formed of a material with an atomic number greater than 46 with each of said first plates connected electrically to each other and having a thickness of less than one electron range at the maximum photon energy;  a plurality of spaced second plates each of which is formed of a material with an atomic number less than 23 with said second plates alternating with said first plates and connected electrically to each other with each of said second plates having a thickness of more than one electron range at the maximum photon source energy;  electrical insulation between each of said first and second plates, said insulation having a thickness of less than one electron range at the maximum energy of the photon source;  a photon--producing radioactive source of energy less than 1 MeV assembled relative to said first and second plurality of plates;  so that photons produced by said radioactive source interact preferentially with said first plurality of plates to eject electrons therefrom and transfer charge to said second plurality of plates thereby producing a potential between adjacent plates capable of sustaining a current in an electrical load, and  said first plates are positioned relative to said radioactive source such that the photons produced thereby strike said first plates at a small angle to their surfaces. 2. A radioisotope photoelectric generator which comprises: 3. A radioactive photoelectric generator as claimed in claim 2 wherein: 4. A radioisotope photoelectric generator as claimed in claim 2 wherein: 5. A radioisotope photoelectric generator as claimed in claim 2 wherein: 6. A radioisotope photoelectric generator as claimed in claim 2 wherein: 7. A radioisotope photoelectric generator as claimed in claim 2 wherein: 8. A radioisotope photoelectric generator as claimed in claim 2 wherein: 9. A radioisotope photoelectric generator as claimed in claim 2 wherein: 10. A radioisotope photoelectric generator as claimed in claim 2 in which: 11. A radiosiotope photoelectric generator as claimed in claim 2 in which: 12. A radioisotope photoelectric generator as claimed in claim 2, wherein: 13. A radioisotope photoelectric generator as claimed in claim 2 wherein: 14. A radioisotope photoelectric generator as claimed in claim 2 wherein: 15. A radioisotope photoelectric generator which comprises: