Tech Briefs Magazine - February 2024 - 19

PPE is pushing the limits of power
generation to deliver the maximum capability
to Gateway. Any increase in spatial
non-uniformity translates into a decreased
understanding of solar array capability
and a decrease in usable power on orbit.
Additionally, due to the large size of the
PPE solar arrays, any testing configuration
that forces an even larger facility will increase
costs.
This is where LED simulation comes
into play.
How pLEDss Enable Sophisticated
Testing
Programmable LED solar simulators
(pLEDss) are the next generation of
solar simulation systems, leveraging advanced
LED lights and control technologies.
These LED-based systems deliver
greater performance when mimicking
solar panel output under the sun's light.
Additionally, this technology is extremely
flexible and capable of addressing a
wide range of solar cell technologies
both current and future. Programmable
LED solar simulator technology has
already measured solar cells with three,
four, five, and even six junctions.
Solar simulators like pLEDss can individually
control each LED light which allows
engineers to apply enhanced tests using
both spectral and spatial non-uniformities.
Controlling spatial non-uniformities provides
deep insight into the cell's health,
such as information on potential hotspots,
manufacturing defects and efficiency.
For example, manufacturing defects
in a solar cell can generate different currents
at each junction. With traditional
solar simulator systems, it is impossible to
measure these current differences after
cells have been assembled into strings.
However, pLEDss technology can measure
the current at each junction in every
cell to find the defects - even in an assembled
string.
LED-based solar simulators can also
individually adjust the intensity of light
applied to both individual solar cells
and their junctions. Fine-tuning this
control ensures performance and efficiency.
The high level of both spatial
and spectral control allows an LED solar
simulator to test and calibrate a wide
range of solar cell technologies with different
spectra profiles according to specific
application requirements.
This technology is automated - saving
NASA significant time and resources. Automation
also delivers improved measurement
accuracy, repeatability, and speed.
Additionally, pLEDss can test solar cells in
a very small area with extreme accuracy -
enabling NASA to hone in on the health
of PPE's arrays - right down to the individual
junctions.
Flexible pLEDss Technology Is
Ready for Future Cells
Today, five-junction (5J) solar cells are
flying their first missions and six-junction
(6J) designs are in development.
It is only a matter of time before these
sophisticated cells are regularly used in
spacecraft design. Programmable LED
solar simulator technology was designed
to address the challenges of multi-junction
cells - no matter how many junctions.
This ensures that pLEDss will
meet the needs of spacecraft using the
advanced solar cells of the future.
This article was written by Casey Hare,
CTO, Angstrom Designs Inc. (Santa Barbara,
CA). For more information, visit
www.angstromdesigns.com.
Tech Briefs, February 2024
www.techbriefs.com
19
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Tech Briefs Magazine - February 2024

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