Appplications
Tunable light source
The Tunable Light Source consists of a Broadband Light Source, e.g. a 150W or 450W Xenon Light Source and a MO250 Monochromator configured according to the customer’s needs. Both devices are set on inline so that they are on a common optical axis. The configuration allows for setting additional elements such as absorption filters (order sorting filters), a radiometer or other light power meter.
Condenser settings
A two-lens condenser is also suitable for introducing light into the entrance slit of the M250 monochromator. For this purpose, the condenser should be moved away from the light source so that a converging beam emerges from the illuminator by NA=0.1 (f/# = 5).
Illumination of the entrance slit
Solar Simulator with additional equipment
The setup consists of:
- Universal lamp housing with a two-lens condenser made of quartz glass
- Xenon lamp XBO 150W/CR OFR or 500W OFR
- Xenon lamp power supply ZXE 150
- AM 1.5 atmospheric filter
- Optical bench 0.5 m long
- Aperture diaphragm 25 mm in diameter
- A diaphragm allowing to set the exposure time from 1 s to 30 min
- Darkroom with doors measuring 600x500x480 mm (length x width x height)
- Flat aluminum mirror
- Filter holder mounted on the bench
45˚ mirror holder mounted on the bench - Table for the electrolysis cell
150W Solar Simulator for exposing a 3-electrode cell with darkroom and time shutter
450W Solar Simulator for photovoltaic measurements providing illumination of a fi70mm area with uniformity <10%
Xenon Lamp Usage Instructions
- The lamp should be switched on first, and only then other equipment such as meters, computers, etc. During lamp ignition, an electromagnetic pulse is generated, which can reset devices connected to the same power rail, for example.
- The xenon lamp arc begins to glow steadily after no less than 10 minutes from ignition. An indication of stable operation is the lack of fluctuation of the ammeter needle.
- In order to obtain stable lamp operation, the lamp current should be set to the nominal value given by the manufacturer. For the OSRAM XBO 150W lamp, this is 8.5A, for the 500W lamp, this is 25A.
During lamp operation, in the case of a 150W lamp, there is no need to use active cooling (manufacturer’s information). However, for a 500W lamp, it is necessary!
The fan should operate for at least 10 minutes after the lamp is turned off in order to cool it faster. Re-ignition should be done “cold”, which extends the lamp’s life.
Shutter usage tips
- The shutter allows you to set the exposure time in the range of 1 to 99 min with a resolution of 1 s.
- The shutter’s rest position is the closed position
- It opens when you turn on the controller, set the exposure time, and then press the START button.
Due to the heating of the electromagnet, it is recommended not to exceed 30 min in the open position
There is a switch on the back of the controller that allows you to permanently open the shutter
Setting the right simulator radiation
Xenon arc lamps are used in solar simulators. In order to make the spectrum of the high-pressure discharge lamp similar to the spectrum of solar radiation falling on the ground, atmospheric filters are used. The angle of incidence of the sun’s rays at the zenith varies depending on the geographical latitude, which affects the path that the sun’s rays travel through the atmosphere and fall on the ground. For this reason, three types of filters are produced (A.M. 0, A.M. 1.0 and A.M. 1.5) for the zero atmosphere, the atmosphere at the equator and the atmosphere in the subtropical zone, respectively.
The power density of solar radiation falling on the ground at the zenith, in the subtropical zone is about 1kW/m2, or in other words 100 mW/cm2. In order to properly set the power density of radiation falling on the sample in the solar simulator, it is best to use a radiometer. The detector in the radiometer is a low-noise radiation thermocouple with a flat characteristic in a wide spectral range, i.e. from 0.1 to 100 μm.
The radiometer probe can be mounted on the optical bench of the measuring station
Power density measurement in front of the quartz window of the photo-electrochemical cell
EQE measurement for photovoltaic cells. The simulator with a 500W xenon lamp allows the illumination of an area of 70mm diameter with a uniformity of <10%.
