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Unisim Compact Solar Simulator - Video Guide

1/9/2016

 
We have a new video featuring our Unisim Compact solar simulator which gives a guided tour of the system as well as some of the optional extras that can be fitted during manufacture.

The video also covers the concept of using the Unisim Compact solar simulator as a simplified 4-zone solar simulator. For more information on this, or how the LED boost zones work, see our technical note here.

Click the image opposite to see the video, or watch it on the Unisim Comact solar simulator product page.
solar simulator
Unisim Compact solar simulator video guide - watch now!

NEC Space Technologies, LTD. acquires Unisim Solar Simulator

10/2/2016

 
Picture
TS-Space Systems is proud to have supplied a Unisim Solar Simulator to NEC Space Technologies, LTD. a world leader in the manufacture and testing of satellite equipment.

The Unisim close match solar simulator provides a world leading close spectral match to the standard AM0 spectrum via multiple discrete wavebands which is vital for accurately characterising the multijunction solar cells used for space applications.

"We are very pleased to work with NEC Space Technologies LTD again", said Dr Bill Williams, Director at TS-Space Systems, "We are proud to add NEC Space Technologies LTD. to the long list of leading PV research and manufacturing groups who have selected our solar simulators for their work".

Multi-junction Cell Investigation Technique: A simplification of the N-zone solar simulator

22/6/2015

 
With the advent of cells with more than four junctions, the basic design of the TS-Space Systems Unisim range reached its sensible limit. To provide for five and more junctions, the N-zone solar simulator was introduced. This is very sophisticated, and can be used to analyse cells with up to twelve junctions with-out the adjustment of any one junction affecting the other.
A simplified version of this simulator is now offered. This is based on our standard, spectrally close-matched simulators, but uses LED boost zones in place of the traditional arc and tungsten lamps, up to 1100nm. These are much more compact than our simulator zones, are extremely stable and perform well within the international standards for spatial uniformity of +/-2%.


The basic technique, assuming that illumination levels above and below AM0 are required, is to reduce the overall level of illumination of the simulator so as to be, say, 10% below AM0, but maintaining the AM0 spectral distribution (Figure 1).
solar simulator set below AM0 spectrum
Figure 1: TS-Space Systems Unisim close match solar simulator set @ 90% of AM0 vs ASTM AM0 standard spectrum.

solar simulator with led boost zones
Figure 2: TS-Space Systems Unisim close match solar simulator set @ 90% of AM0 with selected LED's applied at 450nm, 900nm.
Selected LED's are then used to provide the correct illumination for each junction at AM0 (Figure 2). By varying the output of these LED's, the current in any selected junction may be increased or decreased as required. In this way, any junction may be investigated independently of any other junction. Please note that alternative LED wavelengths to the ones demonstrated here are available.

The LED banks can be retrospectively installed in existing Unisim solar simulators or included at the point of manufacture. They are computer controlled using dedicated rack-mount power supply units which control the current limit and temperature of the individual LED's to automatically prevent any drift in wavelength. Custom software allows for computer
control of an individual LED as well as groups of LED's with the same wavelength. LED output configurations of the simulator can be saved and recalled.

The software automatically detects the LED units installed at start-up which allows the user to replace individual LED's or even install an alternative wavelength LED with minimal disruption to the control system. Thus any later changes to simulator wavelength requirements can be accommodated with minimal cost and downtime.

Please feel free to contact us for more information and pricing.

TS Space Systems - New Solar Simulator 2015
File Size: 277 kb
File Type: pdf
Download File

What's a solar simulator "zone"?

11/6/2015

 
solar simulator spectrum
Spectral irradiance comparison between AM0 standard (ASTM E-490) and TS-Space Unisim: (a) irradiance from each of four lamps indicated by “zone” numbers and vertical blue markers indicate band gaps of typical IMM four junction solar cell; (b) percent of total irradiance for each of six wavelength regions as specified by IEC 60904-9.[1]
At TS-Space Systems, when we made the worlds first multi-source close match solar simulator back in 1997 [2], we also made the world's first multi zone solar simulator by definition. What is a "zone" when it comes to solar simulators? It's a good question and one we get asked quite a lot of the time.

Modern multi-source solar simulators follow a general pattern of combining an arc lamp (traditionally Xenon) with one or more  incandescent lamps. At TS-Space Systems we've lead the way by adopting Metal Halide arc lamps for our latest range of solar simulators which are cheaper and much more stable than Xenon sources without using feedback controllers.

But where our solar simulators really excel is their division of the spectrum into independently controllable wavebands. We call these spectral "zones". As an example, the measured spectrum of a TS-Space Systems Unisim, quad-source (four zone) solar simulator is shown to the left.

The intensity of each "zone" can be adjusted independently in a TS-Space Systems Unisim solar simulator. Being able to adjust discrete portions of the spectrum while a device is under test allows for specific sub-cells to be limited or saturated with their appropriate wavelength of light. Thus the behaviour and characteristcs of the device can be fully investigated.

A further distincition can therefore be drawn between advanced solar simulators which provide a close-match and those which not only provide a close-match, but divide the spectrum into controllable "zones" which are suited to the spectral response of each band gap within the solar cell. 

What happens when you need more than four "zones"? That's where our Unisim N-Zone comes in.


[1] Montgomery, Kyle H.; Wilt, David M.; Howard, Alex; Williams, Bill; Williams, Bill; , "Characterization of a TS-Space quad-source solar simulator," Photovoltaic Specialists Conference (PVSC), 2012 38th IEEE , vol., no., pp.001517-001522, 3-8 June 2012

[2] Wilkinson, V. A.; Goodbody, C.; Williams, W. G., "Measurement of multijunction cells under close-match conditions," Photovoltaic Specialists Conference, 1997., Conference Record of the Twenty-Sixth IEEE , vol., no., pp.947,950, 29 Sep-3 Oct 1997
doi: 10.1109/PVSC.1997.654244

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