IXYS reserves the right to change limits, test conditions and dimensions

© 2010 IXYS All rights reserved

IXYS KOREA LTD.

5

IXYS Corporation

906-5 Iui-dong, Yeongtong-Gu, Suwon, Gyeonggi-Do, Korea

1590 Buckeye Drive, Milpitas, CA 95035-7418

Phone +82-31-888-5232, Fax +82-31-888-5233

Rev. Feb. 2011

Phone (408) 457-9000, Fax 408-496-0670

SolarMD Description

SolarMD is made of monocrystalline, high-efficiency solar cells in a surface mountable package.

They’re robust and can be used in harsh environments. Solar cells used in SolarMD have a very

high (22%) power conversion efficiency, which means that 22% of the light energy is converted

into electrical energy. They’re extremely useful in applications requiring solar power generation in

a limited space.

Monocrystalline cells can be used in indoor and outdoor applications because they have a wide

spectral sensitivity, 300 to 1100 nm. However, the output power of a solar cell is proportional

(over a wide range) to the incoming light energy, and irradiance is generally much higher

outdoors. The values in the data sheet are measured at “standard condition” of 1 sun, which is

equal to 1000W per square meter sunlight irradiance at a defined light spectrum (air mass of 1.5)

and 25°C cell temperature.

Relative Lighting Power Density

The figure above compares relative power density for various lighting conditions in units of Watts

per square meter (W/m

2

). The reference standard condition is 1 Sun and is equal to 1000 Watts

per square meter of sunlight irradiance at a constant 25°C cell temperature and at 1.5 Air Mass

(Air Mass stands for a well defined light spectrum which appears if the sunlight goes through the

earth’s athmosphere at a defined angle). As the chart clearly shows, the power density of typical

indoor lighting is dramatically lower than that of sunlight. Not only is irradiance from indirect and

artificial light lower; the spectrum is also narrower. In typical Office Space lighting with a

spectrum produced from incandescent or halogen light bulbs, the power output may be roughly

100 times less than bright sunlight. It may be 200 to 500 times less with fluorescent lighting due

to the further limited spectrum.