Degeneration of semiconductors in betavoltaic cells

[mike232]

I'm looking to find out what is degenerating in a semiconductor that is being bombarded with beta particles. I know in the low energy tritium beta cells. There is less degeneration because less energy. I know that current is formed by the beta particle making pair holes in the mobile band. Is other electrons filling these gaps and being pulled from other places that is causing the structure to decay? Just a brief summary of this process would probibly help a lot.

 

[BigJDubs]

Yes, electron-hole pairs generated by beta particles can cause a semiconductor to degrade. When a beta particle strikes a semiconductor, it can excite an electron from the valence band to the conduction band. This leaves an “empty” space in the valence band which is filled by another electron from a higher energy level. As this process continues, the empty spaces can accumulate and cause a decrease in the semiconductor’s electrical conductivity. Additionally, the energy released by the beta particles can cause physical damage to the semiconductor, such as dislodging atoms or molecules from their lattice positions. Low energy tritium beta cells are less damaging because the particles have lower energy and therefore do not cause as much damage.