Perovskite solar cells are an important research field for next-generation photovoltaic technology.
They are often evaluated under conditions that are different from those used for conventional crystalline silicon solar cells.
For this reason, a solar simulator for perovskite solar cell research should not only reproduce the standard solar spectrum. It should also provide stable irradiance, low thermal influence on the sample, good reproducibility after shutter operation, and stable performance at low irradiance levels.
SAN-EI has developed the XES-50S3-PSC as a solar simulator configuration designed for perovskite solar cell research.
Why a dedicated solar simulator is useful for PSC research
In PSC research, small-area cells and test samples are commonly used.
The measurement area is often smaller than that used for conventional solar cell evaluation.
Therefore, stable irradiance over a small effective area is especially important.
In addition, perovskite materials can be sensitive to heat, light intensity, and measurement history.
Even small changes in irradiance or sample temperature may affect measurement results.
For this reason, the stability of the light source and the thermal influence on the sample must be carefully considered.
A PSC-dedicated solar simulator should support the following requirements:
- Stable irradiance at 1 SUN and low irradiance levels
- Reduced thermal influence on the sample
- Stable light output after shutter opening and closing
- Good reproducibility for repeated measurements
- Suitable effective irradiated area for small PSC samples
- Spectral performance suitable for AM1.5G-based evaluation
The XES-50S3-PSC is designed based on these practical requirements.
Difference from a conventional solar simulator
A conventional solar simulator is usually designed to evaluate solar cells under standard conditions, mainly around 1 SUN.
It is typically evaluated by spectral match, spatial non-uniformity, and temporal instability.
These are still essential performance items.
However, for PSC research, additional practical factors become important.
For example, stable operation at low irradiance is useful when studying light-intensity dependence.
Reduced thermal influence is important when the sample may be affected by temperature rise.
Reproducibility after shutter operation is also important when repeated short-time measurements are performed.
Therefore, the XES-50S3-PSC is not simply a renamed standard solar simulator.
It is a configuration designed to support the specific measurement conditions required in PSC research.
Main features of XES-50S3-PSC
The XES-50S3-PSC is based on SAN-EI’s xenon solar simulator technology and is optimized for small-area PSC research.
Main features include:
- Effective irradiated area suitable for small PSC samples
- Stable irradiance for repeated measurements
- Capability for low-irradiance operation
- Compatibility with SAN-EI’s internal measurement method, SAN-EI 2025-04
- Filter options for AM1.5G spectral performance
- Consideration of reduced thermal influence on the sample
- Measurement-based performance evaluation
SAN-EI evaluates the performance of this system using actual measured data.
The results include irradiance stability, temporal instability, spectral performance, and the effect of measurement conditions.
Measurement-based explanation
SAN-EI places importance on explaining performance based on measured data.
For PSC research, it is not sufficient to show only nominal specifications.
The actual behavior of the light source, the stability over time, and the influence of measurement conditions should also be considered.
For this reason, SAN-EI provides a technical specification and performance evaluation report for the XES-50S3-PSC.
This report includes measured data and explains how the system performs under defined measurement conditions.
Purpose of this product
The purpose of the XES-50S3-PSC is to provide a practical and reproducible light source for perovskite solar cell research.
It is intended for researchers who need:
- Stable AM1.5G-based illumination
- Small-area solar cell evaluation
- Repeated measurements with shutter operation
- Low-irradiance testing
- Reduced sample heating compared with ordinary configurations
- Measurement conditions that can be clearly explained and reproduced
SAN-EI will continue to improve this product based on measured data and feedback from researchers.