Solar simulation-problems and solutions

The authors quantify the effects of bulb aging, reflections off the simulator optics and fixturing, spectral irradiance, and variations in temporal and spatial characteristics of solar simulators on PV device performance. As the distance between the integrating optics or bulb decreases, the spatial nonuniformity parallel and perpendicular to the test plane increases. A short focal length increases the possibility for an artificial increase in the measured current. The effect on the spectral irradiance and spectral mismatch error was studied for different bulb types, different bulbs of the same type, bulb age, bulb voltage, and distance from the bulb to the test plane.