Determining spectral response of a photovoltaic device using polychromatic filters. Issue 5 (1st July 2014)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Sara, Ira Devi; Betts, Thomas R.; Gottschalg, Ralph
• Is Part Of: IET renewable power generation. Volume 8:Issue 5(2014)
• Page Start: 467
• Page End: 473
• Publication Date: 2014-07-01
• Subjects: solar cells -- photovoltaic cells -- short‐circuit currents -- electric current measurement -- light sources -- optical filters -- radiometers; photovoltaic device -- PV device -- polychromatic filters -- monochromatic beams -- broadband spectra -- light intensity incident -- measurement plane -- narrowband filtered light -- spectral response measurement setup -- light source -- spectroradiometer -- source‐meter unit -- short‐circuit currents -- spectral response model -- spectral response curves -- monochromatic method; Renewable energy sources -- Periodicals; 333.79405
• DOI: 10.1049/iet-rpg.2013.0248
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1752-1416

Abstract

Abstract : This study introduces a new method for determining the spectral response of a photovoltaic (PV) device. Instead of illuminating the PV device under test with monochromatic beams at different wavelengths, the device is irradiated with different broadband spectra. Variations in the spectra are made by employing different types of polychromatic filters. The advantage of using these types of filters is the increase in the light intensity incident on the measurement plane, compared with narrowband filtered light. As a consequence, the spectral response measurement setup becomes very simple, comprising only a light source, a set of polychromatic filters, spectroradiometer and source‐meter unit. The spectral response is determined by fitting the short‐circuit currents measured under different spectra to a chosen spectral response model. The proposed method is verified by comparing the results to spectral response curves measured with a traditional monochromatic method, which show excellent agreement. From this analysis, it can be concluded that the proposed method is feasible as a new technique for determining the spectral response of a PV device.