Patent ID: 8294023

Claim:
A radioisotope power source comprising: a first material comprising a polycrystalline scintillator and radioisotope nanoparticles suspended therein, wherein the radioisotope nanoparticles comprise one of 3-H, 90-Sr, 148-Gd, 241-Am, 244-Cm, 232-U, 137-Cs, 60-Co, or 238-Pu; a second material fully surrounding the first material, wherein the second material defines a shell and the first material defines a core, wherein the second material comprises a polycrystalline scintillator, wherein the polycrystalline scintillator of one of the first material or the second material comprises one of Eu-doped CaF 2 , Ag-doped ZnS, ZnS, CdS, Eu-doped Y 2 O 3 , or Ce-doped Y 2 SiO 5 ; and a photovoltaic device in light communication with the second material.