Invention Grant
- Patent Title: Ultra-fast determination of quantum efficiency of a solar cell
- Patent Title (中): 超快速测定太阳能电池的量子效率
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Application No.: US12237452Application Date: 2008-09-25
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Publication No.: US08239165B1Publication Date: 2012-08-07
- Inventor: David L. Young , Brian Egaas , Pauls Stradins
- Applicant: David L. Young , Brian Egaas , Pauls Stradins
- Applicant Address: US CO Golden
- Assignee: Alliance for Sustainable Energy, LLC
- Current Assignee: Alliance for Sustainable Energy, LLC
- Current Assignee Address: US CO Golden
- Agent Paul J. White; W. LaNelle Owens; John C. Stolpa
- Main IPC: G06F11/30
- IPC: G06F11/30 ; G06F11/00

Abstract:
An apparatus for measuring quantum efficiency (QE) of solar cells. The apparatus includes a light source including an array of light emitting diodes (LEDs) that each emit light corresponding to a differing portion of a test spectrum and each LED is driven by a sinusoidal power supply that operates at a unique frequency. The light source includes an optical coupling focusing the LED light into a test beam targeted on a solar cell, and a signal conditioner converts analog current signals generated by the solar cell into digital voltage signals. A QE measurement module determines a QE value corresponding to each of the LEDs based on the digital voltage signals using a Fast Fourier Transform module that processes the digital voltage signals to generate values for each operating frequency. The QE measurement module determines the QE values by applying a conversion factor to these values. Since all the LEDs can be power-modulated simultaneously and the corresponding cell responses to each of the LEDS can be analyzed simultaneously, the QE spectrum measurement time is greatly shortened as compared to conventional methods.
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