General
- Q1. What is a solar simulator?
- Q2. What is the difference between a xenon solar simulator and an LED solar simulator?
- Q3. What is AM1.5G and AM0?
Product Specifications
- Q4. What is the effective irradiation area?
- Q5. What is working distance?
- Q6. Does the irradiation area change if the working distancechanges?
- Q7. What does 1 SUN mean?
Measurement and Calibration
- Q8. How is irradiance measured?
- Q9. What is the difference between a pyranometer and a reference cell?
- Q10. How is spectral distribution measured?
- Q11. What is spectral match?
Stability and Performance
- Q12. What is irradiance stability?
- Q13. Why is long-duration stability important?
- Q14. What is warm-up time?
- Q15. What is a shutter recovery test?
Ordering and Delivery
Maintenance and Support
- Q18. What is the expected lamp lifetime?
- Q19. Is extended warranty available?
- Q20. Is long-term maintenance available?
General
Q1. What is a solar simulator?
A solar simulator is a laboratory light source designed to reproduce the solar spectrum under controlled and repeatable conditions. It is widely used for photovoltaic research, material testing, and optical experiments where stable and reproducible sunlight is required.
Q2. What is the difference between a xenon solar simulator and an LED solar simulator?
Xenon solar simulators provide a continuous spectrum that closely resembles natural sunlight, making them suitable for research requiring spectral continuity. LED solar simulators use multiple narrow-band emitters to approximate the solar spectrum and are often optimized for specific photovoltaic measurements.
Q3. What is AM1.5G and AM0?
AM (Air Mass) describes the path length of sunlight through the Earth’s atmosphere.
AM1.5G represents the global solar spectrum at the Earth’s surface under standard conditions, while AM0 represents the solar spectrum outside the Earth’s atmosphere, commonly used for space applications.
Product Specifications
Q4. What is the effective irradiation area?
The effective irradiation area is the region on the illumination plane where the irradiance uniformity meets the specified tolerance. Measurements outside this area may not meet the defined performance specifications.
Q5. What is working distance?
Working distance is the distance between the solar simulator optical output and the illumination plane where the specified irradiation area and performance are defined.
Q6. Does the irradiation area change if the working distance changes?
Yes. Changing the working distance alters the optical geometry and therefore changes the effective irradiation area and irradiance distribution.
Q7. What does 1 SUN mean?
1 SUN represents a standard solar irradiance of 1000 W/m² under AM1.5G conditions. It is the commonly used reference intensity for photovoltaic testing.
Measurement and Calibration
Q8. How is irradiance measured?
Irradiance can be measured using calibrated pyranometers or calibrated reference solar cells, depending on the measurement method and application.
Q9. What is the difference between a pyranometer and a reference cell?
A pyranometer measures total irradiance across a broad spectral range, while a reference cell is a photovoltaic device calibrated to represent the response of a specific solar cell technology.
Q10. How is spectral distribution measured?
Spectral distribution is measured using a spectroradiometer, which records irradiance as a function of wavelength across the specified spectral range.
Q11. What is spectral match?
Spectral match describes how closely the simulator spectrum reproduces the reference solar spectrum within defined wavelength bands according to international standards.
Stability and Performance
Q12. What is irradiance stability?
Irradiance stability describes how constant the output irradiance remains during continuous operation.
Q13. Why is long-duration stability important?
Long-duration stability ensures that experimental results remain consistent over time and that measurements are not affected by gradual intensity drift.
Q14. What is warm-up time?
Warm-up time is the period required after lamp ignition for the irradiance output to reach a stable operating condition.
Q15. What is a shutter recovery test?
A shutter recovery test evaluates how quickly the irradiance returns to the stable operating level after the optical shutter is reopened.
Ordering and Delivery
Q16. What is the typical lead time?
The typical lead time is approximately three months after receipt of a purchase order, depending on production scheduling and holidays.
Q17. Do you ship internationally?
Yes. SAN-EI products are delivered worldwide. Delivery is generally arranged under EXW (Ex Works) conditions, and customers arrange transportation and import procedures.
Maintenance and Support
Q18. What is the expected lamp lifetime?
Lamp lifetime depends on the operating conditions and model. Typical xenon lamp lifetimes range from several hundred to several thousand hours.
Q19. Is extended warranty available?
Yes. SAN-EI offers an extended warranty program based on annual review and system condition.
Q20. Is long-term maintenance available?
Yes. SAN-EI provides long-term maintenance support and inspection services to help maintain stable system performance.