kengr

The long term problem with using radioactive decay to power a light is that the power output is inversely proportional to the half-life.So you quickly reach a point where merely having a phosphor and radiation source won't cut it.

At that point you need something like an electroluminescent panel powered by some sort of RTG or the like. That way you have a much bigger ratio of radioactives to light source.

TIMMs do use high temp ceramics. They also used a 3D parts layout. So you had this brick of ceramic and high temp metals with contacts on the surface.

Very much "solid state" circuitry. :-)

Reminds me of the discussions on the TML (Traveller Mailing List) about players finding derelict spacecraft. If they are *old* (centuries, rather than decades), you start running into "interesting" problems.

Due to diffusion of atoms, you get vacuum welding of things in contact. Even if the vacuum isn't that good. You also get semiconductor based devices that no longer work because the dopants have migrated across the PN junctions.

The higher the level of integration (more parts per square micron) the faster they'll go bad. Same is true of a lot of SF standbys such as "molecular circuitry". I wouldn't bet on *any* nano-scale tech surviving.

Damage from cosmic rays and the like are another factor.