Abstract: A pulsed solar simulator, and corresponding methods of solar simulation, consists of one or more mirrors and a flashlamp adjacent to the one or more mirrors. The flashlamp produces pulsed light beams comprising wavelengths from 400 nm to 1800 nm, wherein one or more primary pulsed light beams are directed at a target and one or more secondary pulsed light beams are directed at respective ones of the one or more mirrors and are directed toward the target as one or more reflected pulsed light beams by respective ones of the one or more mirrors. And, one or more respective spectral filters are positioned such that the one or more reflected pulsed light beams comprise light having a desired wavelength spectrum directed at the target. The one or more reflected pulsed light beams provide enhanced irradiation in the desired wavelength spectrum at the target compared to the irradiation provided by the one or more primary pulsed light beams alone.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for testing photovoltaic solar cells using multiple flashlamps is disclosed. The method comprises steps of providing a plurality of flashlamps, pulsing the flashlamps to expose the solar cell to light for a short period of time, preferably less than about 100 milliseconds, and measuring a characteristic of the photovoltaic solar cell in response to the radiation emitted by the flashlamps. In a preferred embodiment of the invention, for use in testing triple junction solar cells, the apparatus includes six flashlamps: one flashlamp tailored to emit light in a portion of the light spectrum for stimulating each of the three junctions, and three additional flashlamps for conducting specialized testing.

Abstract: An infrared acquisition device is described which surveys a relatively large field of view in which an emissive target is likely to appear. An optical system focuses an image of the target onto a mosaic of separate detectors arranged in concentric fields and so arranged that the appearance of the target image on the outer or peripheral field will reposition the optical system so as to move the image onto the inner or central field. Chopper means are provided for modulating the signal for processing into servo control signals and also for discriminating against background radiation.