Conversion of high-energy photons into electricity

摘要

Disclosed is an energy converter (500) for converting high energy photon emissions (542) into electrical energy. The converter (500) has one or more layers of a first material (520) that absorbs high energy photons (542) in the non-visible regime, and emits electrons ejected from an atom by a high energy photon absorbed in the first material (520). Each layer of the one or more layers of the first material (520) has a thickness less than the length of the mean free path of the ejected electrons in the first material (520). One or more layers of material in the one or more layers of the first material (520) have an aggregate thickness measured along the direction of propagation of a high energy photon that is greater than the length of a mean free path for the high energy photon in the first material (520). One or more layers of a second material (534) collect electrons emitted from the one or more layers of the first material (520) and are electrically coupled to the one or more layers of the first material (520). Each layer of the one or more layers of the second material (534) has a thickness greater than the length of the mean free path in the second material (534) of the electrons emitted from the one or more layers of the first material (520). One or more layers of the one or more layers of the second material (534) interpose adjacent layers of the one or more layers of the first material (520).