Spectral shaper illumination device

Spectral shaper illumination device

Within the emerging photovoltaic (PV) technologies, e.g. based on organic or hybrid perovskite materials, many of the breakthroughs achieved in power conversion efficiency have been obtained through intensive materials research. An increasing material complexity requires an equally fast development of materials characterization techniques.

The researchers from the Institute of Materials Science of Barcelona developed a spectral shaper illumination device. The developed multi-purpose spectrum-on-demand light source essentially provides a tunable, spectrally shaped, and split beam, modulated in intensity and/or in a wavelength range concerning a primary light source. The innovation is that the device produces almost any spectrum on demand and offers two types of output: a spatially and spectrally split beam into its wavelength components, a unique capability to illuminate lateral-tandem (rainbow) solar cells, or a spectrally shaped but spatially homogeneous beam over its cross section for areal illumination.

Another unique feature is that it merges two characterization devices into one, concretely, a solar simulator for the determination of the power conversion efficiency and an external quantum efficiency (EQE) measuring system. The setup is expected to accelerate material screening, enabling the discovery and optimization of novel multi-component materials and devices, in particular, for emergent PV technologies, indoors and building integrated PV, agrovoltaics, etc.

picture and simplified diagram of the presented invention by Viromii

The system prototype has been demonstrated in an operational environment. The next milestones of the project will focus on the automation of the filter and the integration of all the elements into a single device, to bring it closer to the market.

Benefits:

  • The technology unifies several photovoltaic characterization techniques in a single device, including power conversion efficiency, external quantum efficiency, light-intensity recombination loses, or indoor efficiency measurements.
  • The output spectrum can be adjusted on demand from broadband (e.g., AM 1.5) to narrowband (up to FWHM of ca. 10 nm).
  • Fast system relying on computer aided spectral modification.
  • The technology facilitates novel characterization options such as optimization of (lateral) tandem solar cells, advanced stability testing, among other.
  • The technology presents applications for the photovoltaic field (e.g., photovoltaic technology, material photodegradation research, solar thermal applications, or photocatalysis).

The represented institution is looking for a collaboration that leads to commercial exploitation of the presented invention.

Institution: Institute of Materials Science of Barcelona (ICMAB) and Xarxa R+D+I Energy for Society (XRE4S) 

TRL: 5

Protection status: Patent Application

Contact: Begoña Iborra / biborra@viromii.com