Solar cells, also called photovoltaic cells, have three main parts in the power generation process: first, the semiconductor material absorbs light energy to produce unbalanced electron-hole pairs or dipoles; second, the unbalanced electrons and holes move from the generation to the potential field, which can be either diffusion or drift; third, the unbalanced electrons and holes move in the opposite direction under the action of the potential field and separate. After the solar cell is fabricated it is tested and characterized to reflect the performance of the resulting cell.
Solar cells have different testing needs in each step of the process from R&D to production, and their photovoltaic characteristics, including voltammetric I-V characterization, are crucial for deriving important parameters about solar cell performance, including maximum current IMAX and voltage VMAX, open-circuit voltage VOC, short-circuit current ISC, fill factor FF, and conversion efficiency η, among others.
Why choose a digital source meter for I-V testing of solar cells?
Many semiconductor and electronic device tests involve outputting voltage and measuring current as quickly as possible. Overall test time is a function of charge time, measurement time, discharge time, and setup and processing test time. While conventional power supplies can only output voltage or current and cannot absorb energy as a load, a digital source meter (SMU) is a precision meter that provides complete four-quadrant operation, absorbing energy as a trap (load) when operating in quadrants 2 and 4, outputting energy as a source when operating in quadrants 1 and 3, and measuring voltage, current, and resistance simultaneously in either source or trap mode. The digital source meter (SMU) combines the functions of a current source, voltage source, ammeter, voltmeter, and electronic load, and is able to easily switch between these different functions. This makes it possible to independently measure the I-V characteristics of a device in all four measurement quadrants without using any other equipment. This greatly improves test times, simplifies overall test system design, and increases usability. In addition to being able to output and measure voltage or current output magnitudes very accurately, the SMU also has a coherent measurement feature that limits the magnitude of the voltage or current output and prevents damage to the device.
Purcells digital source meters (SMUs) are easy to integrate with other devices to build complete measurement solutions.
Since 2015, Purcells has been committed to the research of digital source meters, and took the lead in realizing the localization of digital source meters in 2019, successively launching products such as high-precision digital source meters, plug-in source meters, etc., and joining hands with famous manufacturers in the industry to build scientific research-grade single-channel and multi-channel solar cell I-V test systems for users, which provide a reliable tool for the research, QC as well as the application of photovoltaic devices, and are designed to help Researchers save time for the next breakthrough. Meanwhile, different configurations are available to meet different power and precision testing needs.
Single Channel I-V Test Solution
The single-channel I-V test system is composed of a Purcell digital source meter as the core, equipped with a 3A grade solar analog light source, fixtures, temperature controllers and special I-V test software. It can test parameters such as short-circuit current (Isc), open-circuit voltage (Voc) and fill factor (FF).
Figure: Single-channel I-V test system architecture diagram
Figure: I-V test curve graph
Multi-Channel Polling I-V Test Solution
The solution consists of a multi-channel LED light source, a channel switcher, and an S-Series benchtop source meter, which polls multiple cells through the channel switcher. The multi-channel LED light source provides an analog light source, and the accompanying multi-channel solar cell I-V testing software improves testing efficiency.
Figure: MPPT Polling Aging Test System Architecture Diagram
MPPT Parallel Aging Test Solution
Adopting Purcells plug-in source meter (CS1010C + CS series daughter card) to form a multi-channel aging test program, featuring high channel density, strong synchronous triggering function, and high efficiency of multi-device combination. Each channel aging a battery, the maximum can support 40 channel aging program. The system is mainly divided into four main test items: I-V test, MPPT tracking, V-t test and I-t test.
Figure: MPPT Parallel Aging Test System Architecture Diagram
Quantum efficiency test program
The program is based on a Purcell digital source meter as the core, together with a light source system, a raster scanning monochromator, and a sample testing dark box, which can be used to test parameters such as spectral responsivity, external quantum efficiency, internal quantum efficiency, emissivity/transmittance, and short-circuit current density.
Figure: Quantum efficiency test system architecture
Figure: Quantum efficiency test plot
Bypass Diode Thermal Performance Test Program
The thermal performance test is designed to determine the temperature characteristics of the diode and its maximum junction temperature under continuous operating conditions. The component is heated to a specified temperature and an Isc or 1.25 times Isc pulse current is applied with a pulse width of no more than 1ms to detect the forward voltage of the bypass diode in real time. Referring to the IEC 61215-2 specification, the PL series narrow pulse LIV test system or HCPL100 high current pulse power supply is used as the pulse current source, and the device voltage can be measured synchronously when the pulse current is output, which has the advantages of source measurement accuracy as high as 0.1%, steep output pulse edges (minimum 100ns), and high test efficiency.
Figure: Purcell PL Series Narrow Pulse LIV Test System
Figure: Purcells HCPL100 High Current Pulse Power Supply
PID test program
The program adopts the E series high voltage source measurement unit as the high voltage source, applying 1000V or 1500V high voltage to the electrode and metal frame of the solar cell module to measure whether there is leakage current between the two ends. The device adopts constant voltage and current measurement mode, the maximum voltage is up to 3500V, and the minimum current is as low as 1nA.
Figure: Purcells E-Series High Voltage Source Measurement Unit
Battery Component Test Program
Calcium-titanium-mineral battery modules are usually formed by connecting multiple cells in series and parallel, and have higher current and power. With a maximum current of 100A and a maximum power of 5000W, the Purcell HCP High Power Pulse Source Meter is able to meet the demands of high power I-V testing of battery modules.
Figure: Purcells HCP Series High Current Benchtop Pulse Source Meter
The Precision Digital Source Meter (SMU) from Purcells Instruments is the optimal solution for characterizing the electrical properties of Calcium Titanate Solar Cells and a variety of other devices. Its wide current and voltage measurement range provides excellent measurement performance for research and manufacturing. Combined with a sunlight simulator and dedicated host computer software, the SMU greatly simplifies the efficiency of solar cell testing, allowing for more accurate and easier device characterization.
Please feel free to contact us for information on the full range of digital source meters (SMUs) and application solutions from Purcell.
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