Researchers modify consumer cameras to measure solar cell efficiency

Researchers from the University of Stuttgart, Forschungszentrum Jülich, and Solarzentrum Stuttgart have successfully modified a low-cost consumer digital camera to measure the electroluminescence of silicon solar cells. This process allows for the determination of external luminescent quantum efficiency, which is a key indicator of a solar cell's voltage and overall quality.

While industrial cameras are typically used for this purpose, they are often expensive and require precise calibration. The team demonstrated that by removing the internal infrared-blocking filter found in most commercial cameras and adding a long-pass filter to the lens, a standard camera—such as a Canon EOS 4000D—can provide quantitative results. By properly modeling and calibrating the camera's physical response, the device can provide absolute luminescent quantum efficiency data rather than just visual brightness variations.

This method offers a more accessible way to assess the radiative quality and open-circuit voltage of solar modules, potentially lowering the barrier for detailed photovoltaic characterization.