Performance measurements for indoor photovoltaic devices: Classification of a novel light source

Abstract

There is an increasing interest in using indoor photovoltaic (IPV) devices to power Internet of Things applications, low power communications, and indoor environmental sensing. For the commercialization of IPV technologies, device performance measurements need to conform to the relevant standardized specifications. We present a novel IPV device measurement system that incorporates digital light processing (DLP) to deliver a spectrally invariant light source at all required illuminance levels, as specified by the indoor standard testing conditions in IEC TS 62607-7-2:2023. We evaluated the DLP system according to requirements for spectral coincidence, temporal stability, and non-uniformity at the sample plane. We demonstrate the measurements to define the classification status of the system and the unique benefits of the DLP system that allow a stable spectral profile and high levels of uniformity across all illuminance levels. This is the first reported measurement system for IPV device testing based on DLP technology, and the classification methodology of this work can be used as an example for the classification of indoor light simulators in laboratory environments based on the latest IEC TS 62607-7-2:2023.