As interest grows among PV module manufacturers in commercializing perovskite-Si tandem modules, the demand for advanced and reliable characterization tools, especially at the research and development (R&D) and calibration lab levels, has become increasingly critical.
Tandem cells combine 2 or more sub-cells made from different materials (e.g., perovskite and silicon), with each layer engineered to absorb a specific portion of the solar spectrum. For instance, one sub-cell may capture blue light (short wavelengths), while another targets red or infrared light (longer wavelengths). As a result, I-V measurements that are not carefully tuned for spectral match and stabilization can lead to distorted I-V curves, including inaccurate short-circuit current (Isc) and fill factor (FF), which do not reflect real-world performance.
Responding to this need, WAVELABS Solar Metrology Systems GmbH showcased its upcoming innovation—the SINUS-3000 ADVANCED, a compact LED-based characterization tool—at Intersolar Europe 2025. Waqas Zia, PV Metrology Consultant at WAVELABS, briefly described this innovative compact characterization tool, suitable for high efficiency new cell technology (perovskite-Si tandem) based modules.
Leveraging the advantages of LED light engines, the system is certified to Class A+A+A+ (IEC 60904-9) and delivers stable, homogeneous, and high spectral quality illumination. This means a highly accurate spectral match with the ideal solar spectrum, excellent spatial uniformity across a large measurement area of 2,500 × 1,500 mm, and superior temporal stability of light intensity. The tool ensures high measurement precision and reliability, featuring less than 1% variation in spectral irradiance across the illuminated area or less than 1% spectral non-uniformity, making it well-suited for scientific and R&D applications.
According to the company’s datasheet, the system achieves a long-term instability (LTI) of <0.2% for flash durations under 0.5 seconds, and <0.5% for longer durations. Additionally, it supports a wide range of exposure times, from short 50 ms pulses to continuous illumination.
This flexibility is especially beneficial for tandem solar cells, where some sub-cell layers require several minutes to stabilize under steady-state conditions. The SINUS-3000 ADVANCED’s internal intensity control ensures excellent spectral stability during these longer exposures. Moreover, the high parallelism of its LED light sources minimizes optical distortion, resulting in lower measurement errors.
On demand, 2 cameras with replaceable filters can capture images of the 2 sub-cells, either by feeding current into the cell (EL) or illuminating it with narrow-bandwidth LEDs (PL). This characterization helps identify material defects and document degradation effects. Integrated with a temperature chamber, the tool can control the sample temperature under standard test conditions (STC) or evaluate performance as a function of temperature.
It also features EQE (External Quantum Efficiency) measurement capability, which is essential for tandem perovskite module technology.
