Low-Cost Solar Simulator Design for Multi-Junction Solar Cells in Space Applications

Multi-junction solar cells are commonly used in space applications where they are exposed to the air mass 0 (AM0) spectrum. Solar simulators are used to emulate the AM0 spectrum for ground testing of the solar cells before the space application is launched. A low-cost solar simulator was designed using LEDs for the visible spectrum and halogen lamps for the infrared spectrum. A design procedure is provided to determine the intensity and geometry of the lights needed to meet spectral match and spatial uniformity requirements. The presented solar simulator design is adequate for testing GaInP2/GaAs/Ge triple-junction solar cells intended for use in a cube satellite application and has a significantly lower cost than commercially-available solar simulators.