Abstract
The use of commercially available photodiodes for developing diverse solar simulator light monitoring applications is a very convenient approach due to availability, quality, performance and cost effectiveness.Photodiodes as light monitors are meant to be operated in constant current zone, commonly referred to as photoconductive mode. In this operation mode, they offer linear response to impinging light over a few orders of magnitude. However, while presenting desirable characteristics in the manufacturer’s specification sheets, there is a general lack of information regarding current response saturation for higher irradiances as it is the case of placing the photodiode directly under AM0 like conditions leading to possible misuse.This paper will provide a guided approach on how to determine photodiode eligibility for solar simulator light monitoring applications. Needing to be linear around AM0 irradiances, suitability will rely on empirical IV tests at different irradiation conditions of three commercial silicon photodiodes performed in one of Spasolab’s Xe based solar simulators. Further testing data including spectral response will also be provided from a specially manufactured off the production line photodiode from Hamamatsu, which has never been published, proving it to be an excellent option. Test data will serve to give guidelines on suitability for the application focusing on series resistance, having enough reverse bias headroom and containing power consumption to avoid excessive self-heating, yielding an appropriate bias voltage to assure linearity. Finally, a discussion on the photodiode’s upper saturation limit determination will be introduced.
Highlights
Photodiodes are an interesting option in solar simulator behaviour characterization in applications such as short and long term stability metering and irradiance uniformity mapping
Despite not having adopted an orthodox linearity test approach, the main interest is to observe if substantial IV deformations appear at irradiance in the environment of AM0 to make the constant current zone disappear when swept in the defined voltage range
In this paper we place focus on determining commercial photodiode suitability for Multiple Zone solar simulator monitoring by introducing a series of irradiance linearity verification and operation point guidelines
Summary
Photodiodes are an interesting option in solar simulator behaviour characterization in applications such as short and long term stability metering and irradiance uniformity mapping. Photodiodes are prone to saturation under AM0 irradiance conditions This mainly has to do with the fact that photodiodes are manufactured to be high sensibility light sensors for a wide variety of applications and not optimized for carrier extraction under high irradiances Current saturation under a certain voltage operating point is originated by the lower density metallization grid found in the photodiodes which increases the series resistance found at the terminals of the device, as can be seen in fig.
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