Development of indoor characterization technologies for CPV devices at AIST

R&D of the performance measurement technologies for CPV (concentrating photovoltaic) devices at National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST) have started in FY2009. Indoor characterization technologies for CPV mini-modules (CPV cells with concentrating optics) have been developed using a highly parallel continuous solar simulator (HPCSS), which has a highly-parallel light with small angular divergence (< ±0.5°) and a similar continuous light with irradiance of > 900 W/m2 and spectrum as natural direct sunlight. The spatial uniformity of its irradiance was within ±2.0% over an effective area of 18 cm × 18 cm. CPV cell measurement technologies are also being developed using a high-intensity (1 sun–1500 suns) pulsed solar simulator with flexibly adjustable spectrum. The current status of these indoor characterization technologies is presented.