Apparatus for synthesis of a solar spectrum
First Claim
1. Solar simulator apparatus, comprising:
- first light source means for producing a first light beam having a first wavelength band;
second light source means for producing both a second light beam having a second wavelength band and a third light beam having a third wavelength band; and
a fiber optic cable having a first input leg, a second input leg, and a third input leg combined into a single, mixed output leg, wherein said first input leg is positioned in said first light beam, said second input leg is positioned in said second light beam, and said third input leg is positioned in said third light beam, and wherein said first input leg includes a plurality of first leg optic fibers that are optimized to transmit light having said first wavelength band, said second input leg includes a plurality of second leg optic fibers that are optimized to transmit light having said second wavelength band, and said third input leg includes a plurality of third leg optic fibers that are optimized to transmit light having said third wavelength band, said first, second, and third leg optic fibers being combined together to form said output leg in such manner that said output leg produces a substantially uniform output light beam comprising an additive mixture of the first wavelength band of the first beam, the second wavelength band of the second beam, and the third wavelength band of the third beam.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A xenon arc lamp and a tungsten filament lamp provide light beams that together contain all the wavelengths required to accurately simulate a solar spectrum. Suitable filter apparatus selectively direct visible and ultraviolet light from the xenon arc lamp into two legs of a trifurcated randomized fiber optic cable. Infrared light selectively filtered from the tungsten filament lamp is directed into the third leg of the fiber optic cable. The individual optic fibers from the three legs are brought together in a random fashion into a single output leg. The output beam emanating from the output leg of the trifurcated randomized fiber optic cable is extremely uniform and contains wavelengths from each of the individual filtered light beams. This uniform output beam passes through suitable collimation apparatus before striking the surface of the solar cell being tested. Adjustable aperture apparatus located between the lamps and the input legs of the trifurcated fiber optic cable can be selectively adjusted to limit the amount of light entering each leg, thereby providing a means of "fine tuning" or precisely adjusting the spectral content of the output beam. Finally, an adjustable aperture apparatus may also be placed in the output beam to adjust the intensity of the output beam without changing the spectral content and distribution of the output beam.
108 Citations
12 Claims
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1. Solar simulator apparatus, comprising:
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first light source means for producing a first light beam having a first wavelength band; second light source means for producing both a second light beam having a second wavelength band and a third light beam having a third wavelength band; and a fiber optic cable having a first input leg, a second input leg, and a third input leg combined into a single, mixed output leg, wherein said first input leg is positioned in said first light beam, said second input leg is positioned in said second light beam, and said third input leg is positioned in said third light beam, and wherein said first input leg includes a plurality of first leg optic fibers that are optimized to transmit light having said first wavelength band, said second input leg includes a plurality of second leg optic fibers that are optimized to transmit light having said second wavelength band, and said third input leg includes a plurality of third leg optic fibers that are optimized to transmit light having said third wavelength band, said first, second, and third leg optic fibers being combined together to form said output leg in such manner that said output leg produces a substantially uniform output light beam comprising an additive mixture of the first wavelength band of the first beam, the second wavelength band of the second beam, and the third wavelength band of the third beam. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4)
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5. Solar simulator apparatus, comprising:
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a first light source means for producing a first light beam having a first wavelength band; a second light source for producing a second light beam having a second wavelength band, said second light source means including means for producing a third light beam having a third wavelength band; a randomized fiber optic cable having a first input leg, a second input leg, and a third input leg combined into a single output leg, wherein said first input leg is positioned in said first light beam, said second input leg is positioned in said second light beam, and said third input leg is positioned in said third light beam, and wherein said first input leg includes a plurality of first leg optic fibers, said first leg optic fibers being optimized to transmit light having said first wavelength band, said second input leg includes a plurality of second leg optic fibers, said second leg optic fibers being optimized to transmit light having said second wavelength band, and said third input leg includes a plurality of third leg optic fibers optimized to transmit light having said third wavelength band, said first, second, and third leg optic fibers being randomly combined together to form said single output leg, whereby said single output leg produces a substantially uniform output light beam comprising an additive mixture of the first wavelength band of the first beam, the second wavelength band of the second beam, and the third wavelength band of the third beam; collimating means positioned in said output light beam for collimating said output light beam; first adjustable aperture means positioned in the first light beam between said first light source and the first input leg of said randomized fiber optic cable for selectively adjusting the intensity of the first light beam before it enters the first input leg of said randomized fiber optic cable; second adjustable aperture means positioned in the second light beam between said second light source means and the second input leg of said randomized fiber optic cable for selectively adjusting the intensity of the second light beam before it enters the second input leg of said randomized fiber optic cable; and third adjustable aperture means positioned in the output light beam between the single output leg of said randomized fiber optic cable and said collimating means for selectively adjusting the amount of light from the output light beam before it enters said collimating means. - View Dependent Claims (6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A method for synthesizing a solar spectrum having a characteristic spectral distribution and irradiance intensity profile and irradiance intensity level on a wavelength versus irradiance curve, comprising the steps of:
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generating a first beam of radiation that is predominately in an infrared and near infrared wavelength band; generating a second beam of radiation that is predominantly in a visible light wavelength band; generating a third beam of radiation that is predominately in an ultraviolet wavelength band; adjusting the respective intensities of said first beam, second beam, and third beam in such a manner that when they are added together they produce a combination spectral distribution and irradiance intensity profile that has approximately the same shape as the spectral distribution and irradiance intensity profile of said solar spectrum; combining said first beam, said second beam, and said third beam together into a mixed output beam that comprises a resultant additive spectral distribution and irradiance intensity profile that has approximately the same shape as the spectral distribution and irradiance intensity profile of said solar spectrum; and adjusting the resultant intensity level of said output beam to approximately the same irradiance intensity level as said solar spectrum. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12)
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Specification