The SUNLAB was founded in August of 2007, followed closely by Karin Hinzer receiving a Canada Research Chair position in September of 2007. The SUNLAB laboratory located in Room 3001 and 3003 of the SITE building was officially opened on 1 May 2008.
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The SUNLAB, housed at the University of Ottawa’s Centre for Research in Photonics, is Canada's premier solar cell characterization research facility, which focuses on high performance devices. Experimentally this includes two solar simulators: a low-concentration Newport Oriel SS, capable of intensities up to 150 suns; and a high-concentration Spectrolab XT-30 SS, capable of intensities up to >1000 suns.
Each solar simulator is equipped for temperature-stabilized current-voltage measurements. External quantum efficiency can be performed as well as electroluminescence, and photoluminescence measurements. In addition to the expertise in the area
of experimental characterization, the research group complements these activities with a dynamic numerical modelling program. Complex multi-junction solar cell and tunnel junction simulations are performed using Synopsys Sentaurus, a world-leading commercial semiconductor device simulator, coupling electrical, optical, and thermal calculations. Thermal simulations of solar cell systems under concentration are performed using COMSOL Multi-Physics finite element method software. Design and investigation of innovative concentrator systems are modeled using Zemax optical design software. The outside instrumental test site allows to characterize systems in a nordic environment and gather unprecedented information on the solar spectrum in the Ottawa region.
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What are multi-junction solar cells? How do they work? What types of systems use them? Read our whitepaper for an overview.
How are solar cells tested? What types of monitoring and analysis are used for solar power systems? Read our whitepaper for an overview.
How do PV systems perform in Ottawa? Are they affected by snow? How do we optimize system orientation for non-FIT revenues? The following two reports were completed in collaboration with Hydro Ottawa Limited: |
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