Manual version: 1.0.A
Product code: G2009
Product Version: 1.0
G2009A1 SOLAR SIMULATOR
LED Solar Simulator Lamp
User Manualb

Overview

The Ossila Solar Simulator is a small area, LED-based steady-state solar simulator. It can be used as a stand-alone unit or integrated into the Ossila Solar Cell I-V Test Systems for a complete characterisation system. Providing class AAA performance (IEC 60904-9:2020 Edition 3.0) over a 15 mm diameter area, it is an affordable solution for photovoltaic characterisation and any other analysis requiring an artificial solar spectrum.
The Ossila Solar Simulator is part of our Solar Cell Prototyping Platform, a complementary collection of substrates, materials, and equipment as part of a high-performance standard photovoltaic reference architecture. This platform enables researchers to produce high-quality, fully functional solar cells which can be used as a reliable baseline.
For more information: ossila.com/pages/solar-cell-prototyping- platform. 

EU Declaration of Conformity (DoC)
We
Company Name: Ossila BV
Postal Address: Biopartner 3 building, Galileiweg 8
Postcode: 2333 BD Leiden
Country: The Netherlands
Telephone number: +31 (0)71 3322992
Email Address: info@ossila.com
declare that the DoC is issued under our sole responsibility and belongs to the following product:
Product: Solar Simulator (G2009A1), Solar Simulator with Manual Stage (G2009B1)
Serial number: G2009A1-xxxx
Object of declaration:
Solar Simulator (G2009A1)
The object of declaration described above is in conformity with the relevant Union harmonisation legislation:
EMC Directive 2014/30/EU
RoHS Directive 2011/65/EU
Photobiological safety of lamps and lamp systems IEC 62471:2006
Signed: Name: Dr James Kingsley
Place: Leiden
Date: 16/11/2021

Safety

3.1 Use of Equipment
The Ossila Solar Simulator is designed to be used as instructed. It is intended for use under the following conditions:

• Indoors in a laboratory environment (Pollution Degree 2)
• Altitudes up to 2000m
• Temperatures of 5°C to 40°C; maximum relative humidity of 80% up to 31°C.

The unit is supplied with a 24 VDC power adapter, in accordance with European Commission regulations and British Standards. Use of any other electrical power cables, adaptors, or transformers is not recommended.
3.2 Hazard Icons
The following symbols can be found at points throughout the rest of the manual. Note and read each warning before attempting any associated operations associated with it:
Table 3.1. Hazard warning labels used in this manual.

3.3 Power Cord Safety
Emergency power disconnect options: use the power cord as a disconnecting method and remove from wall. To facilitate disconnect, make sure the power outlet for this cord is readily accessible to the operator.
3.4 Optical Hazards
The Ossila Solar simulator emits intense optical radiation in the ultraviolet, visible, and infrared regions of the electromagnetic spectrum. The device has been assessed according to IEC 62471:2006 (Photobiological safety of lamps and lamp systems) and assigned to Risk Group 3.
3.5 Servicing
If servicing is required, please return the unit to Ossila Ltd. The warranty will be invalidated if:

• Modification or service has been carried out by anyone other than an Ossila engineer.
• The Unit has been subjected to chemical damage through improper use.
• The Unit has been operated outside the usage parameters stated in the user documentation associated with the Unit.
• The Unit has been rendered inoperable through accident, misuse, contamination, improper maintenance, modification, or other external causes.

Requirements

Table 4.1 details the power requirements and connectivity of the Ossila Solar Simulator.
Table 4.1. Ossila LED Measurement System requirements.

Unpacking
5.1 Packing List
The standard items included with the Ossila Solar Simulator (G2009A1) are:

• The Ossila Solar Simulator lamp.
• 24 VDC, 45 W power adaptor.
• USB memory stick loaded with data sheet, calibration data, and test data.

5.2 Damage Inspection
Examine the components for evidence of shipping damage. If damage has occurred, please contact Ossila directly for further action. The shipping packaging will come with a shock indicator to show if there has been any mishandling of the package during transportation.

Specifications

The Ossila Solar Simulator specifications are shown in Table 6.1. See the data sheet included with the Solar Simulator for detailed specifications of the unit.
Table 6.1. Ossila Solar Simulator specifications.

25 mm – B
32 mm – C
Temporal instability classification| A
Spectral deviation| <70%
Spectral coverage| >80%
Working distance| 85 mm
Warm up time| 5 minutes
Dimensions| Length: 105 mm; Width: 90 mm; Height: 80 mm
Weight| 600 g

System Components
The Ossila Solar Simulator Lamp is supplied with a 24 VCD, 45 W power adapter.

Installation

The solar simulator lamp should be mounted appropriately such that air is free to circulate above and below the unit. There are 3 available mounting options:

1. Height adjustable stage (sold separately). The solar simulator lamp bracket is directly attached to the Z-stage platform, allowing manual adjustment of the lamp height. The lamp is attached to the stage using four M3 bolts as shown in Figure 8.1. Figure 8.1. Mounting positions for attaching the Solar Simulator to the vertical stage platform.
2. Fixed bracket integrated with the Ossila Solar Cell I-V Test System – Automated (sold separately). The solar simulator lamp is affixed to a bracket mounted onto the automated version of the Ossila Solar Cell I-V Test System with four M3 bolts. There are two possible mounting positions available. The lower position is used when a 20 x 15 mm substrate measurement bracket is attached to the IV system, while the higher position is used when a 25 x 25 mm substrate measurement bracket is attached to the I-V system. The two possible positions are shown in Figure 8.2.Figure 8.2. Bracket for mounting Solar Simulator on an Ossila Solar Cell I-V Test System – Automated. Left mounting is for 20 x 15 mm substrates, right for 25 x 25 mm substrates.
3. Custom mounting. The solar simulator lamp can be mounted to any user-supplied mounting platform using four M3 bolts and/or two M6 bolts, so long as there is unrestricted airflow 5 cm above and below the lamp unit. The mounting bracket dimensions are shown in Figure 8.3

Figure 8.3. Mounting bracket dimensions.

Mount the solar simulator lamp according to one of options above. Connect the 24 VDC power adaptor to the power socket on the side of the unit.

Operation

When the system is first powered on, the light output will be 1 Sun (1000 W/m² ) at 85 mm below the bottom faceplate of the system. While the LEDs are turning on, the  ndicator light (next to the power button) will illuminate white. When the system reaches one sun after approximately 2 seconds, the indicator light will turn green. We suggest leaving the system to run for 5 minutes before starting measurements to allow the system temperature and LED output to stabilise.
The colour of the indicator light specifies the system operating conditions as listed in Table 9.1.
Table 9.1. Indicator light meanings.

powers)
Intermittent flashing red| High temperature warning
Continuous flashing red| System error (see section 13).

The Ossila Solar Simulator connects to a computer through a USB connection. The device has a USB-C port located on the underside of the lamp, as shown in Figure 9.1. A USB cable should be used to connect the solar simulator to the computer. Communication is only possible when the system is turned on.
Warning: Ensure that the system is powered off when plugging and unplugging a USB cable.

Figure 9.1. Connectivity ports of the Solar Simulator.

An external shutter control pin is provided through the IDC connector interface. The shutter pin is controlled through a serial command (see Section 11.2).
Table 9.2. ICD connector pin layout.

Maintenance

The Ossila Solar Simulator is a sealed unit and requires no maintenance if used under the recommended conditions.
11. Command Library
The solar simulator communicates with a host computer through a serial command library. When connected to a PC, the system will appear as a COM port, to which the serial commands could be sent. This section describes the command protocol and lists the available commands.
10.1 Command Format
Commands should be sent to the solar simulator in ASCII format, and responses from the solar simulator will also be in ASCII format.
All commands sent to the solar simulator have a start and end delimiter, < and

respectively. Only commands enclosed by these delimiters will be acknowledged by the device. If any invalid commands are sent between delimiters, the system will return . Commands can be setting commands or query commands.
Setting commands have the format , where parameter is the setting to be changed, and value is the new value. The new value will be either a floating-point number, integer, or Boolean (0 or 1). Floating point numbers can be sent in scientific notation (e.g., 123e4 or 123E4).
If a command requires an integer and a floating-point value is sent, the system will round the number down to an integer. If a Boolean is required and a non-zero floating-point number (or integer other than 0 or 1) is sent, the system will interpret it as a 1. If a setting command is successfully implemented, the system will echo back the command.
Query commands have the format <parameter?>. These commands allow the user to find current system settings without modifying them. If a query command is successfully interpreted, the system will return ./
11.2 Setting Command List

integer between 10 and 100. This is the irradiance (in mW/cm² ). Irradiances calibrated
at every 10 mW/cm 2are stored in the system
memory (i.e., 10 mW/cm²  , 20 mW/cm²  , 30
mW/cm²  etc.). Power can be set at an intermediate value, but the LED powers will be based on an interpolation between the calibrated values.