Patent Number: 
Section: claims

1. A method of direct conversion of nuclear energy to electrical energy comprising the steps of:placing a liquid semiconductor between two metal contacts, wherein said first metal contact creates a low resistance contact with said liquid semiconductor and said second metal contact creates a Schottky contact with said liquid semiconductor;placing nuclear material in solution in said liquid semiconductor;creating an electrical circuit between said first metal contact and said second metal contact, andgenerating electrical current and providing said current to said electrical circuit. 2. The method of claim 1, wherein the nuclear material comprises a radioactive isotope. 3. The method of claim 1, wherein the liquid semiconductor is a P-type semiconductor. 4. The method of claim 1, wherein the liquid semiconductor comprises selenium. 5. A method of conversion of nuclear energy to electrical energy comprising the steps of:providing a plurality of cells, said cell each comprising:a first metal contact layer having a first surface;a second metal contact layer having a first surface, said first and second metal contact layers positioned with said respective first surfaces in spaced relation to one another and facing each other to at least partially define a channel;a liquid semiconductor in said channel between said first metal contact layer and said second metal contact layer, wherein said first surface of said first metal contact layer forms a Schottky contact with said liquid semiconductor, and said first surface of said second metal contact layer forms a low resistance contact with said liquid semiconductor;a radioactive isotope in solution in said liquid semiconductor; andplacing an electrical load on said first and second metal contact layers of each cell in said plurality of cells, andgenerating electrical current and providing said current to said electrical load. 6. The method of claim 5, wherein said cells are electrically coupled together such that the outputs of the cells are combined. 7. The method of claim 5, wherein the liquid semiconductor is a P-type semiconductor. 8. The method of claim 5, wherein the liquid semiconductor comprises selenium. 9. The method of claim 5, wherein said radioactive isotope is dissolved in said liquid semiconductor. 10. The method of claim 2, wherein said radioactive isotope is dissolved in said liquid semiconductor.