Towards Piezo-Nuclear Microgenerators: Beta Radiation Conversion Experiments and a Proposed Protocol

This technical note presents a research-grade protocol to test the hypothesis of direct piezoelectric conversion of beta radiation into electricity using static ceramic PZT and engineered PZT-X formulations. The approach is fully solid-state (no macroscopic mechanics), with single-lamella and multilayer “sandwich” geometries, guard-ring electrodes, and low-loss fixtures.

Irradiation is performed with a collimated Sr-90 source and with linac electron beams (0.5–2 MeV). Deposited power P_dep is operationally defined over the active piezo volume and estimated via Monte Carlo (e.g., Geant4, region tagging) and/or NIST PSTAR/ESTAR stopping-power data. Quantitative metrics include full I–V curves, open-circuit voltage (Voc), short-circuit current (Isc), maximum power point (P_max), and an electrical efficiency eta_elec = P_max / P_dep with a preregistered detectability target eta_elec >= 1e-4.

To ensure rigor and reproducibility, the protocol specifies blind controls (glass, sapphire, amorphous silicon), poled vs. unpoled PZT, and above-Tc checks; lock-in detection at off-mains frequencies with FFT/PSD analysis; a geometric-mechanical transfer parameter (kappa) calibrated on the real geometry; ABAB randomized sequences; and explicit Go/No-Go criteria. Practical sections cover dosimetry and graded-Z shielding, minimum instrumentation specifications (low-noise electrometer, charge preamplifier, synchronized DAQ, triax cabling in a Faraday cage), open-data deliverables, and a minimal power analysis to size experiments.

The study is designed to yield value regardless of outcome: a positive result would establish a new “radiopiezoelectric” conversion pathway; a null result would set meaningful bounds on the phenomenon.

Format: bilingual PDF — full English text followed by the complete Italian translation.