Method and device for simulating a solar spectrum

A method of testing an item with a spectrally precise, artificial solar spectrum including wavelengths from 200 nm to 20 microns produced by a solar spectrum simulator comprising the steps of:

• a) directing beams of light from laser generation emitters to collimating mirrors, the laser generation emitters including:
• at least one ultraviolet (UV) laser source, at least one visible laser source, at least one near infrared (NIR) laser source, at least one short wavelength (SW) laser source, at least one medium wavelength (MW) laser source, and at least one long wavelength (LW) laser source;
• the directing being accomplished by controlling the laser generation sources with spectrum optimizer software, a spectrum controller;
• and an emitter controller;
• b) directing by collimating mirrors the beams of light from laser generation emitters to an integrating sphere including a diffraction grating;
• c) directing beams of light from base spectrum emitters to the integrating sphere, the base spectrum emitters including at least one xenon/infrared (IR) lamp and at least one blackbody radiator;
• d) combining the directed beams of light with the integrating sphere;
• e) profiling the combined beams of light with a beam profiler to produce a profiled beam simulating a uniform source;
• f) measuring wavelengths of the profiled beams with a spectrometer, the spectrometer feeding back the wavelength of the profiled beams to the spectrum controller;
• g) adjusting, if necessary, with the spectrum controller the wavelength of the combined profiled beams, based on the feedback from the spectrometer;
• and
• h) beaming the combined beams onto a surface on which is provided space for an item to be tested.

A solar spectrum simulator system capable of producing a light spectrum, including wavelengths from 200 nm to 20 microns, the system comprising:

• a) base spectrum emitters beaming light into an integrating sphere, the base spectrum emitters including:
• at least one xenon/infrared (IR) lamp and at least one blackbody radiator;
• b) laser generation emitters beaming light into collimating mirrors, the laser generation emitters including at least one ultraviolet (UV) laser source, at least one visible laser source, at least one near infrared (NIR) laser source, at least one short wavelength (SW) laser source, at least one medium wavelength (MW) laser source, at least one long wavelength (LW) laser source, and at least one quantum cascade laser source (QCL);
• c) collimating mirrors receiving beamed light directly from at least one of the laser generation emitters;
• d) software including i) amplitude optimization software;
• ii) a spectrum controller;
• iii) an emitter controller, the emitter controller being controlled by the amplitude optimization software and the spectrum controller, the emitter controller controlling the base spectrum emitters and the laser generation emitters;
• e) the integrating sphere including at least one diffraction grating, the integrating sphere receiving light from both the base spectrum emitters and the collimating mirrors;
• f) a beam profiler receiving beamed light from the integrating sphere;
• g) a three-axis motion table providing space for a sensor unit under test (UUT), the table receiving beamed light from the beam profiler;
• and
• h) a spectrometer receiving beamed light from the beam profiler, the spectrometer generating and feeding back wavelength information about the beamed light to the spectrum controller.