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Product Code T2003E3
Price $2,500 ex. VAT

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Reliable and accurate characterization of photovoltaic devices

Take control of your solar cell measurements — no programming knowledge necessary


The Ossila Solar Cell I-V Test System is now available as complete kit with the new Ossila Solar Simulator. Order yours today and start characterizing solar cells with ease!

Part of the Institute of Physics award-winning Ossila Solar Cell Prototyping platform, the Ossila Solar Cell I-V System is a low-cost solution for reliable characterization of photovoltaic devices. The PC software (included with all variants of the system) measures the current-voltage curve of a solar cell and then automatically calculates key device properties. In addition, I-V measurements can be performed periodically over time to track the stability of these properties.

The system is available with either manual or automatic pixel switching (if you are using one of Ossila's substrate systems), or without a test board for use with your own substrate and testing system or if you already own one of our test boards. Please refer to the table under the specifications tab if you are not sure which model you should choose. This system is covered by our FREE 2-year warranty.

Two-Year Warranty

Two-Year Warranty

Covered by the Ossila Warranty

low-cost Solar Cell I-V Test System

Low-Cost

Low cost solution for reliable characterization of photovoltaic devices

user-friendly PC software

User-friendly PC software

Fully customisable

Wide Measurement Range

Wide Measurement Range

capable of delivering voltages between -10 V and +10 V

Automated Solar Cell I-V Test System device holder
The system is capable of automatically switching between pixels during the measurement
Manual Solar Cell I-V Test System device holder
The twist lock ensures devices are securely held in the device holder

Key Features

Calculates Device Properties

Calculates Device Properties

The included PC software automatically calculates key properties of solar cells from the measured I-V curves. These properties include: the power conversion efficiency (PCE), fill factor (FF), short-circuit current density (Jsc), open-circuit voltage (Voc), maximum power (Pmax), shunt resistance (Rsh), and series resistance (Rs).

Rapid Characterization

Rapid Characterization

If you are using one of our substrate systems, the Solar Cell I-V System can be purchased with a multiplexing test board (just select the 'automated' variant of your choice in the drop-down list), which enables automatic pixel switching. As an added bonus, the temperature and light will also be recorded during the measurement!

Easy-to-Use

Easy-to-Use

Just plug in the system, install the PC software, and you're ready to go! The intuitive interface and clean design makes the Solar Cell I-V System easy-to-use, simplifying the characterization of solar cells.

Wide Measurement Range

Wide Measurement Range

The built-in source measure unit is capable of delivering voltages between -10 V and +10 V, with a maximum resolution of 170 μV, and measuring currents from as low as ±10 nA up to ±200 mA.

Measure Device Stability

Measure Device Stability

By performing repeated current-voltage measurements over an extended period of time, the stability of key device properties can be tracked.

Multiple System Types Available

Multiple System Types Available

Choose from our range of system types (automated, manual, or source measure unit only) depending on your requirements. If you are unsure which model to select, refer to our comparison table on the specifications tab or contact us for advice.

System Type No Test Board Manual Automated
±10 V Source Range Yes Yes Yes
170 μV Source Resolution Yes Yes Yes
±200 mA Measurement Range Yes Yes Yes
±10 nA Measurement Resolution Yes Yes Yes
Software Included Yes Yes Yes
Automatic Solar Cell Characterization Yes Yes Yes
Single Pixel Solar Lifetime Measurement Yes Yes Yes
For Use With S2006, S211, S241, or S251 Substrates No Yes Yes
Automatic Pixel Switching No No Yes
Multiple Pixels Solar Lifetime Measurement No No Yes

A solar simulator (not included) is needed to obtain standard efficiency measurements. The Ossila Solar Cell I-V Test System is now available as a solar cell testing kit with our solar simulator.

Getting Started with the Ossila Solar Cell I-V Test System

Current-Voltage Measurements (I-V curves)

Current-voltage measurements (I-V curves) are the primary measurement for characterizing solar cells. Here, the current flowing through the device is measured at different voltages whilst it is under illumination. There are several key properties that can be extracted from the I-V curve of a solar.

Example solar cell IV curve
Example solar cell I-V curve with properties highlighted.

The short-circuit current density (Jsc) is the photogenerated current density of the solar cell when there is no driving voltage, and can be extracted from the intercept with the y-axis.

The open-circuit voltage (Voc) is the voltage at which the applied voltage cancels out the built-in electric field, and can be extracted from the intercept with the x-axis.

The fill factor (FF) is the ratio of the actual output power of the device to its power if there were no parasitic resistances. This can be calculated by dividing the maximum power output of the device by the product of the Jsc and the Voc (the potential maximum power).

Finally, the power conversion efficiency (PCE), the ratio of incident light power (Pin) to output electrical power (Pout), can be calculated.

For a more in-depth explanation about the characterization of solar cells, see our guide on solar cell theory and measurement.

Power Conversion Efficiency (PCE) Equation

The Power Conversion Efficiency (PCE) of a solar cell can be calculated from the ratio of incident light power (Pin) to output electrical power (Pout) using the following equation:

Solar cell PCE equation
The solar cell PCE equation

Here, as above, Jsc is the short-circuit current density, Voc is the open-circuit voltage, and FF is the fill factor.

Solar Cell Testing Kit

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Resources and Support

Solar Cells: A Guide to Theory and Measurement Solar Cells: A Guide to Theory and Measurement

A solar cell is a device that converts light into electricity via the 'photovoltaic effect'. They are also commonly called 'photovoltaic cells' after this phenomenon, and also to differentiate them from solar thermal devices.

Read more...
OPV and OLED Fabrication Guide OPV and OLED Fabrication Guide

Ossila’s pre-patterned ITO substrates are used for a wide variety of teaching and research devices (both organic and inorganic) where a high-quality ITO surface is required.

Read more...
Perovskites and Perovskite Solar Cells - An Introduction Perovskites and Perovskite Solar Cells - An Introduction

The rapid improvement of perovskite solar cells has made them the rising star of the photovoltaics world and of huge interest to the academic community.

Read more...
Perovskite Fabrication Perovskite Fabrication

This guide describes our recommended fabrication routine for perovskite solar cells using Ossila I101 Perovskite Precursor Ink which is designed to be used with a bottom ITO/PEDOT:PSS anode and a top PC70BM/Ca/Al cathode.

Read more...
FTO Substrates: Adapting Unpatterened Substrates for Photovoltaic Devices FTO Substrates: Adapting Unpatterened Substrates for Photovoltaic Devices

As part of our photovoltaic substrate system, Ossila offers patterned Indium Tin Oxide (ITO) substrates which are designed to work with our evaporation masks to create multi pixel devices.

Read more...
Xtralien Scientific Python (Legacy) Xtralien Scientific Python (Legacy)

The Xtralien Scientific Python distribution is a development environment aimed at scientists and includes all the relevant tools and libraries that a scientist will need to get started.

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Photovoltaic Substrate Overview Photovoltaic Substrate Overview

Ossila's photovoltaic substrates have been developed to maximise performance and fabrication efficiency for a range of modern photovoltaic device types where ITO series resistance becomes critical.

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OLED Substrate (Pixelated Anode) System Overview OLED Substrate (Pixelated Anode) System Overview

The schematics below show the layout of the substrates along with the available deposition shadow masks. The pixelated anode substrates come with six ITO fingers which define the pixels plus an additional cathode bus-bar.

Read more...
Making OLED and OPV solar cells: Quickstart Guide Making OLED and OPV solar cells: Quickstart Guide

Organic photovoltaic cells (OPVs) or organic light emitting diodes (OLEDs) can be easily manufactured using Ossila's pre-patterned ITO substrates and a few simple spin coating and evaporating steps.

Read more...
OLED Testing Guide OLED Testing Guide

This guide gives an overview of what to consider when characterising an OLED, as well as tips for their measurement.

Read more...
Ossila Solar Cell I-V Test System User Manual Ossila Solar Cell I-V Test System User Manual

The Ossila Solar Cell I-V Test System is a low-cost solution for reliable current-voltage characterization of photovoltaic devices.

Read more...
Software and Drivers Software and Drivers

The latest software and drivers including our cyclic voltammetry software for the Ossila Potentiostat and more.

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Measurement Specifications

Voltage source specifications

Range Accuracy Precision Resolution
± 10 V 10 mV 333 µV 170 µV

Voltage measure specifications

Range Accuracy Precision Resolution
± 10V 10 mV 50 µV 10 µV

Current measure specifications

Range Accuracy Precision Resolution Burden
± 200 mA ± 500 µA 10 µA 1 µA <20 mV
± 20 mA ± 10 µA 1 µA 100 nA <20 mV
± 2 mA ± 1 µA 100 nA 10 nA <20 mV
± 200 µA ± 100 nA 10 nA 1 nA <20 mV
± 20 µA ± 10 nA 1 nA 0.1nA <20 mV

Equipment Specifications

Substrate Size 20 mm x 15 mm
25 mm x 25 mm
75 mm x 25 mm
Substrate Compatibility T2002B, T2003B – S211
T2002E, T2003E – S2006
T2002F, T2003F - S241, S251
Overall Dimensions (W x H x D) - Automated 150 mm x 55 mm x 300 mm (5.91" x 2.17" x 11.81")
Overall Dimensions (W x H x D) - Manual Source Measure Unit: 125 mm x 55 mm x 185 mm (4.92" x 2.17" x 7.28")
Test Board (T2002B/T2002E): 105 mm x 40 mm x 125 mm (4.13" x 1.57" x 4.92")
Test Board (T2002F): 100 mm x 40 mm x 150 mm (3.94" x 1.57" x 5.91")

System Selection Guide

The table below will help you determine which system is right for you. The manual version of the system has switches on the test board itself, which the user operates to measure the different pixels on a solar cell device. The automated version of the system uses a multiplexing test board, which switches between these pixels automatically. Test boards for the manual system can be purchased separately here, and user-swappable riser boards for the automated system can be purchased here.

Substrate
Pixel Switching S211 S2006 S241, S251 Other Substrate Type Other Substrates
Automated Solar Cell I-V Test System
Automated
Automated - S211 (T2003B) Automated - S2006 (T2003E) Automated - S241/S251 (T2003F) -
Manual Solar Cell I-V Test System
Manual
Manual - S211 (T2002B) Manual - S2006 (T2002E) Manual - S241/S251 (T2002F) -

Software

The current-voltage measurement is controlled using intuitive and user-friendly PC software. All of the measurements can be fully customised, allowing you to tailor the software to your experiment.

With the PC software, you can:

  1. Perform current-voltage measurements anywhere between -10 V and 10 V.
  2. Take high resolution measurements, with voltage increments as low as 170 µV.
  3. Manage the experiment more directly, with custom settle times between applying voltage and measuring current.
  4. Measure device hysteresis by perform consecutive measurements in forwards and backward directions.

The software has 3 measurement tabs: Solar Cell Characterization, Stabilised Current Output, and Solar Lifetime Measurement. 'Characterization' performs I-V measurements and calculates the important device properties, the 'Stabilised Current' tab allows you to determine how the current output of your device evolves over time using, and the 'Lifetime' tab enables you to track key device properties (PCE, FF, Jsc, Voc) over an extended time by performing periodic I-V characterization. Between measurements the solar cell can be held at open-circuit, short-circuit, or maximum power.

Solar Cell I-V Software
Solar Cell I-V Software

Data is saved to .csv (comma-separated values) files, which are formatted to be easy to read and analyse. Settings are saved along with the data, making it easier to keep a record of the parameters used for each experiment. These settings files can be loaded by the program, and settings profiles can be saved for each different measurement type, allowing you to easily perform repeat measurements or use particular configurations.

Key Software Features

  • Simple and intuitively-designed interface
  • Data saved to .csv file
  • Calculates solar cell properties (PCE, FF, Jsc, Voc, Pmax, Rsh, Rs)
  • Track properties over time
  • Measure the stabilised current output of a solar cell
  • Save and load settings profiles
Solar Cell Lifetime Measurement Software
Solar Cell Lifetime Measurement Software

Software Requirements

Operating System Windows 10 (32-bit or 64-bit)
CPU Dual Core 2 GHz
RAM 2 GB
Available Hard Drive Space 192 MB
Monitor Resolution 1680 x 1050
Connectivity USB 2.0, or Ethernet (requires DHCP)

To the best of our knowledge the information provided here is accurate. The values provided are typical at the time of manufacture and may vary over time and from batch to batch. Products may have minor cosmetic differences (e.g. to the branding) compared to the photos on our website. All products are for laboratory and research and development use only.

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