This miniature nuclear battery - only 3 5 mm long and 15 mm in diameter - has been developed in Britain by the United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority. It uses heat from the radio- active decay of a small quantity of plutonium-238 to generate electricity in a miniature semi-conductor thermo- pile (an apparatus formed of rods of special metals connected in parallel). The design of the battery, including the encapsulation of the plutonium, ensures that there is no hazard either from radiation or from the escape of radio- active material. It has a design life of 20 years and has been applied in the first instance to implanted heart pace- makers that bring a new lease of life to thousands of people suffering from certain types of heart troubles.
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