Oriel's Sol2A™ Class ABA systems take solar simulation to the next level. Certified to IEC 60904-9 2007 Edition, JIS C 8912, and ASTM E 927-05 standards, these large area SOL 2A sources use a xenon lamp and proprietary filter to meet, efficiently and reliably, Class ABA performance parameters without compromising the 1 sun output power. The result is a cost-effective system designed for laboratory and/or production environments.
The standards define the spectral match of a solar simulator as a percentage of the integrated intensity in 6 spectral ranges. Any deviation from the specified percentages must then lie within a range that determines the class of the simulator. For Class ABA, this range is 0.75 to 1.25 times the ideal percentage. If your application doesn't require the highest level of uniformity of illumination, a Class ABA system may work for you. Class ABA systems still provide the highest spectral match performance (Class A) as defined by the most recent standards from the IEC, JIS and ASTM. Although the uniformity is Class B (based on the IEC testing protocols), these Class ABA systems may have better uniformity than competitive simulators that claim Class A uniformity to only the current ASTM standard, or are measuring it according to the older IEC, JIS and ASTM standards.
The irradiance uniformity over the work area is the most difficult requirement to achieve and maintain. Hot spots can lead to significant errors in measured cell efficiency and can cause inaccurate binning of cells. The Class ABA spatial uniformity performance standard is designed to minimize the impact of hot spots and meets the Class B requirements for the standards.
Temporal stability is the third performance parameter of Class ABA standards. It requires that the output light be stable over time in order to ensure that the lamp fluctuations do not distort the measurements of solar cell efficiency. The Sol2A meets Class A performance for temporal stability without requiring additional light feedback devices, but our optional Model 68950 Digital Light Intensity Controller can substantially reduces lamp output fluctuation to values that are less than the maximum of 0.5%.
The Sol2A housing provides a safe enclosure for the lamp. It is equipped with safety interlock systems to ensure operator and system safety. An integral fan(s) and filter blower provides forced air-cooling to maintain optimal lamp, optics and housing temperature.
The Oriel Sol2A Class ABA Solar Simulator includes a shutter that is a rugged, single-blade shutter design specified for 1 million cycles. Real-world performance has exceeded 10 million cycles. The shutter has a minimum exposure time of 200 ms and can be controlled via a contact closure or logic level input, or a convenient push-button switch on the illuminator housing.
The Oriel Sol2A Class ABA Solar Simulator source is a CW system. This enables testing of all cell materials unlike flashlamp-based systems that are limited by the response time of the material. Regardless of model chosen, the lamp is an ozone-free xenon short arc lamp. Your system is certified with the lamp which is shipped with the unit to insure meeting the performance stated. For continuous production environments, we recommend purchasing replacement lamps when the source is purchased, and certifying each lamp. This will ensure Class A spectral match certification as lamps are replaced.
The combination of lamp and air mass filter produces the characteristic Class ABA spectra. Our 1.5G Air Mass Filter retains its optical properties through the life of the lamp. Replacement filters are sold separately.
The highly regulated power supply provides constant electrical power to the Xenon lamp. Lamp usage can be monitored in accumulated hours from the power supply. It is important to replace the lamp at the end of its rated life to maintain the minimum 1 sun output with appropriate spectral match. The lamp’s output and spectral match can not be assured with continued use beyond the specified lifetime (@1000 hours).
Oriel Sol2A Class ABA Solar Simulators maintain Class ABA standards during the specified lifetime of the lamp. When the lamp is replaced, the instrument may fall outside of Class ABA performance. Spatial uniformity is the most difficult requirement to meet and maintain. In order to facilitate the measurements and adjustments necessary to maintain spatial uniformity, Oriel has developed a uniformity measurement tool (Sol-UMT) to allow rapid measurement and determination of performance. The use of these tools allows you to maintain the Oriel Sol1A Class ABA Solar Simulator within stated performance specifications. Contact Newport Sales for further information.