×
INTELLIGENT WORK FORUMS
FOR ENGINEERING PROFESSIONALS

Log In

Come Join Us!

Are you an
Engineering professional?
Join Eng-Tips Forums!
  • Talk With Other Members
  • Be Notified Of Responses
    To Your Posts
  • Keyword Search
  • One-Click Access To Your
    Favorite Forums
  • Automated Signatures
    On Your Posts
  • Best Of All, It's Free!
  • Students Click Here

*Eng-Tips's functionality depends on members receiving e-mail. By joining you are opting in to receive e-mail.

Posting Guidelines

Promoting, selling, recruiting, coursework and thesis posting is forbidden.

Students Click Here

Jobs

IV curve with Keithley 2400 sourcemeter

IV curve with Keithley 2400 sourcemeter

IV curve with Keithley 2400 sourcemeter

(OP)
Hello,

I use a Keithley 2400 sourcemeter to trace I-V curves for solar cells under illumination (the keithley sources voltage, measures current).

I've found that if the current compliance level for the Keithley is set much higher than the current I'm actually measuring, the I-V curve will have a strange shape, where the current dips down between the short circuit side and the knee of the curve.  As long as I have this compliance level (or maximum current setting) set to a value slightly above the highest current in my sweep, everything looks normal.

I don't really need to fix the problem, but I'm just looking to understand what is causing this measurement artifact.  I should add I'm not an electrical engineer, I'm a material scientist that just occasionally has to deal with this stuff, so forgive me my ignorance and use small words. dazed

RE: IV curve with Keithley 2400 sourcemeter

"...under illumination..."

That'll complicate things. The voltage and current from the illuminated solar cell probably isn't "expected" by the instrument.

 

Red Flag This Post

Please let us know here why this post is inappropriate. Reasons such as off-topic, duplicates, flames, illegal, vulgar, or students posting their homework.

Red Flag Submitted

Thank you for helping keep Eng-Tips Forums free from inappropriate posts.
The Eng-Tips staff will check this out and take appropriate action.

Reply To This Thread

Posting in the Eng-Tips forums is a member-only feature.

Click Here to join Eng-Tips and talk with other members!


Resources