Application Notes

Photo-biology is the study of the effect of UVA and/or UVB, visible, and IR radiation upon living systems. The first law of photochemistry (Grotthaus-Draper Law) states that light must be absorbed for a photochemical event to occur.

Oriel® Sol-UV Solar Simulators can be used in a wide variety of dermatological applications in both new research and in commercial sun protection product verification. In commercial applications, Orie. UV solar simulators have been used by skin product manufacturers throughout the world to verify their products' compliance with FDA, COLIPA, and JCIA regulations for SPF testing.

Scientists at the Kennedy Space Center, FL used Oriel® Light Sources in their Mars Simulation Chamber (MSC). The MSC was designed to accurately maintain the pressure (7 mb). temperature (-100 to +30 0C), atmospheric composition (pure CO2), and UV irradiation experienced at the Mars equator, under clear-sky conditions.

Dr. Philip Kruger at the State University of New York, College of Optometry, used 100 W Quartz Tungsten Halogen Oriel® Light Sources and Optical Accessories to build a system to measure the two-dimensional (X-Y) Stiles-Crawford Effect. The Stiles-Crawford Effect results from the fiber-optic nature of retinal cones.

Photo-biology is the study of the effect of UVA and/or UVB, visible, and IR radiation upon living systems. The first law of photochemistry (Grotthaus-Draper Law) states that light must be absorbed for a photochemical event to occur.

The performance of a photovoltaic (PV) cell can be quantified by measuring its spectral response and I-V curve. From these measurements the parameters like external quantum efficiency (EQE%), fill factor, efficiency, and maximum power can be derived.

There are five electrical performance parameters to be discussed that are used to characterize any solar cell and to compare it to other solar cells of the same or different material. The challenge to making reliable electrical performance parameter measurements is setting up standard testing conditions.

Spectroradiometric Systems, or Spectroradiometers, measure spectral irradiance as a function of wavelength. They are typically used to measure the spectral output of an unknown or to calibrate measurement systems. In photovoltaics testing, spectral irradiance is needed in order to calculate the spectral mismatch between the test light source, and a reference spectrum.

A reference solar cell is calibrated when its short-circuit current is known with respect to an internationally accepted set of test conditions called the Standard Test Conditions (1 Sun or 1000 W/m2 of AM1.5G and a cell temperature of 25°C).

This note compares the IV sweep results of a Xenon lamp based solar simulator to the LED based VeraSol solar simulator. In the first section, the spectral outputs of the two simulators are considered. In the second section, the IV response is compared for a series of PV cells.