Solar Simulation Products

Pico™ Small Area LED Solar Simulator

Small Area LED Solar Simulation. Big Results.

Pico LED Simulators Trusted By

Small Area LED Solar Simulation for
Photobiological testing Material degradation tests Photochemistry testing Small solar cell testing Weathering tests Photochromic lab tests Aerospace ground testing

Precisely Replicate Terrestrial or Extraterrestrial Solar Spectra with the Click of a Button

G2V Optics has crafted the Pico LED small area solar simulator to provide truly controllable illumination, complete with software-controlled spectra, traceable calibration, all with no bulbs, filters, or moving parts. Replicate AM1.5G, AM0 – AM40, and geography-, season-, or time-specific spectra with the click of a button.

It’s your research made more accurate.

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Solar Spectral Match

Exceeding Class A

Pico offers a high-consistency, high-precision spectral mismatch of less than 5% to exceed Class A requirements by a factor of 5 – as defined by ASTM E927, IEC 60904-9, and JIS C8912 Standards.

(Spectral Mismatch of <5%)

If you want to know if Pico can help support your research and meet your goals, talk to one of our experts.

Meeting Class AAA requirements with a small footprint

Class AAA LED Solar Simulator

The Pico provides an accurate solar spectrum that’s stable in time and uniform over the illuminated area, in a small footprint that can easily integrate into your existing infrastructure.

AM1.5G spectral match exceeds ASTM E927-19 requirements by a factor of 5x. Variable spectra available for intensity adjustment, control of up to 32 wavelength channels, and automation via Python API. AM0 and custom spectra available upon request.

Class A Spectral Match

AM1.5G spectral match exceeds ASTM E927-19 requirements by a factor of 5x. Variable spectra available for intensity adjustment, control of up to 32 wavelength channels, and automation via Python API. AM0 and custom spectra available upon request.

G2V Pico solar simulator One-sun equivalent irradiance area in 2.5 cm x 2.5 cm square, achieving spatial non-uniformity

Class A Spatial Uniformity

One-sun equivalent irradiance area in 2.5 cm x 2.5 cm square, achieving spatial non-uniformity <2%.

Class A Temporal Stability

pico solar simulator short term temporal instability

Short-term Temporal Instability (STI) <0.1% for 1 Hz sampling over 100 seconds, exceeding Class A requirements.

pico solar simulator long term temporal stability

Long-term Temporal Instability (LTI) <2% for 3,000 hours at 1 sample/day, meeting Class A requirements.

Ready for Testing Standard Reference Cells

Whether you’re testing research-grade photodiodes or validating standard reference cells, the Pico can provide you with Class AAA sunlight to accurately validate device performance.

G2V pico Solar cell sizes
G2V-sunbrick-solar-simulator

Sunbrick Solar Simulator

Need a Large Area Solar Simulator?

Get the accuracy you need to drive better results for large-area testing.

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Customizable Technology

Designed To Grow With Your Research Needs. Because Your Research Matters.

Your research is changing the world. You can’t afford imprecise light that gives inaccurate results.

The Pico is a research-grade instrument suitable for testing any photosensitive (light-sensitive) materials or processes, including solar cells, sunscreen, plastics, photochromic devices, photochemical processes, environmental degradation, aerospace materials, and more.

You choose a spectral range and upgrade to completely control spectrum & intensity, to measure photovoltaic IV characteristics, and to obtain low-resolution EQE measurements.

The G2V Pico solar simulator has become a core tool in our research providing both the versatility and reliability that we need.

Jillian Buriak
Professor of Chemistry at the University of Alberta & Editor-in-Chief - ACS Chemistry of Materials

Knowledge is Power

Get More Information About Pico

G2V Pico led solar simulator on desk horizontal with computer-Pico 1

Investigate the Details

For the latest information on the Pico small area solar simulator, please download our LED Solar Simulator Brochure.  It includes everything you need to know about the Pico, as well as a complete specification sheet. If you would like to know more, please get in touch.

Pico Upgrades

Harness The Power of the Only Upgradable LED Solar Simulator

Your research is taking the field to the next level. Your solar simulator should be able to do the same.
Variable Spectra Module icon
Variable Spectra Module

The Variable Spectra module unlocks full spectral control with software-controlled intensity manipulation. This upgrade enables control of up to 30 tunable channels to replicate virtually any solar condition.

The module’s software-controlled, user-programmable spectrum enables users to simulate and conduct spectrum-specific research.

Includes spectral presets for AM1.5G and AM0 to AM40, for intensities from 0 to 1.1 suns. Also includes One-Click Sun (beta) software.

One Click Sun (beta) Software Module

One-Click Sun™ Software (in beta) enables users to replicate irradiance and spectrum based on geography, season, and time of day. Our software was crafted to be simple, accurate and easily configurable.

IV Hardware Module icon
IV Hardware Module

Integrated data collection hardware and software for PV PCE measurements

The IV module will measure the performance of a solar cell and generate a characterization report with all electrical characteristics – following the ASTM E1021 standard test method.

Obtain fast and accurate measurements for your research cells with Current-Voltage (IV) testing, and enjoy the ease of a system that integrates all the necessary analysis and equipment.

EQE icon
Low-Resolution EQE Hardware Module

Integrated data collection hardware and software for low-resolution EQE measurement

The Low-Resolution EQE module provides wavelength-resolved measurements of your photovoltaic device’s external quantum efficiency (EQE) under active conditions.

Following a test method analogous to the ASTM E1021 standard test method, the EQE module allows you to gain insight into the factors limiting solar cell performance.

Pico Solar Simulator

Benefits of LED Illumination

Clock
Minimal Warmup Time
Idea
No Bulb Replacement
Lightbulb
No Explosive Bulb Failure
Compass
No Manual Calibration

Compare Pico Models

A Small Area Solar Replication For Every Research Need

LAM-BASE

Exceeds Class AAA
To ASTM E927, IEC 60904-9, and JIS C8912 Standards

400 nm - 1100 nm Spectral Range

1 cm Working Distance

Illumination Area of 9 cm2

1.1 suns equivalent
max intensity

Lambertian Optics

pico solar simulator
DIR-BASE

Exceeds Class AAA
To ASTM E927, IEC 60904-9, and JIS C8912 Standards
SKU: PICO-LMN-DIR

400 nm - 1100 nm Spectral Range

7 cm Working Distance

Illumination Area of
2.5 cm x 2.5 cm

1.1 suns equivalent
max intensity

Directed Optics

pico solar simulator with UV ribbon
DIR-BASE-UV

Exceeds Class AAA
To ASTM E927, IEC 60904-9, and JIS C8912 Standards
SKU: PICO-KLMN-DIR

350 nm - 1100 nm Spectral Range

7 cm Working Distance

Illumination Area of
2.5 cm x 2.5 cm

1.1 suns equivalent
max intensity

Directed Optics

pico solar simulator with NIR ribbon
DIR-BASE-NIR

Class AAA
To ASTM E927, IEC 60904-9, and JIS C8912 Standards
SKU: PICO-LMNO-DIR

400 nm - 1500 nm Spectral Range

7 cm Working Distance

Illumination Area of
2.5 cm x 2.5 cm

1.1 suns equivalent
max intensity

Directed Optics

pico solar simulator with UV and NIR ribbon
DIR-BASE-UV-NIR

Class AAA
To ASTM E927, IEC 60904-9, and JIS C8912 Standards
SKU: PICO-KLMNO-DIR

350 nm - 1500 nm Spectral Range

7 cm Working Distance

Illumination Area of
2.5 cm x 2.5 cm

1.1 suns equivalent
max intensity

Directed Optics

Pico Solar Simulator

General Specifications

Pico FAQs

Have questions about small area LED solar simulators?

Get the answers you need to create solutions that can change the world.

With the variable spectrum add-on for the Pico, you gain the ability to individually adjust up to 32 LED channels (depending on the model). The spectral width of each LED varies, but a general rule of thumb is that the bandwidth is 10% of the peak wavelength in nm. For example, an LED with a peak at 400 nm has an approximate bandwidth of 40 nm, while a 1000 nm LED has an approximate bandwidth of 100 nm. Depending on your application, this LED bandwidth may be suitably monochromatic for testing specific wavelength dependencies.

I saw that the pictures on the official website are illuminated vertically. However, we need a light source in the horizontal direction.

The Pico comes with either an imperial or metric mounting plate, specified upon ordering, which allow for horizontal mounting. The imperial plate provides two ¼”-20 threaded holes separated by 4”, suitable for mounting to standard ½” optical posts and imperial optomechanical breadboards. The metric plate provides two M6 threaded holes separated by 100 mm, suitable for mounting to 12 mm optical posts and metric optomechanical breadboards. Be sure to specify your preferred configuration when ordering.

Any of the Pico models with “UV” in their name contain light from 350 nm to 400 nm. The advantage of this wavelength range is that it does not produce ozone; however, if you require UV light below 350 nm, we do not currently offer that in any of our products. If wavelengths below 350 nm are of interest to you, please let us know so we can prioritize in our ongoing product development roadmap.

There is a Python API for controlling the Pico through Python scripting, which allows for automation. The API provides the ability to turn channels on and off, load spectra, and more, without the need to use G2V’s graphical interface. For more detailed information and examples of methods and properties, visit the Python API’s repository on Github.

G2V Optics’ solar simulators are suitable for testing the following solar cell technologies: crystalline silicon, amorphous silicon, perovskite, multijunction, tandem, gallium arsenide (GaAs), cadmium telluride (CdTe), dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs), organic photovoltaics (OPV), inorganic solar cells, quantum dots, copper-indium gallium selenide (CIGS), thin-film solar cells based on kusachiite (CuBi2O4), and most other thin-film, multicrystalline, concentrator and/or heterostructure solar cells.

The Pico can be used for testing multijunction devices, however, accurate testing requires proper validation for that specific design of the multijunction device. G2V is currently unable to validate the Pico for out-of-the-box performance and calibrated output for use with multijunction-based solar devices due to the lack of standardization among formulations and designs of these devices. Different junction designs will sample different portions of the solar spectrum as well as have their own spectral responsivities, potentially resulting in spatial non-uniformity and spectral mismatch characterization outside of the Class A standards for those junctions and spectral responsivities.

Thus G2V recommends that customers working with multijunction cells perform their own validation on-site in order to ensure their G2V product is performing to the customers’ desired standards for specific junctions.


If you are willing to submit a sample of your device that you are wanting to be tested prior to the purchase of a Pico, it is possible for G2V to calibrate a unit for that device for an extra fee.

The Pico is the most configurable and controllable solar simulator available today, designed to meet the rapidly changing needs of the world's leading research teams.

Michael Taschuk
Ph.D., P.Eng.
Founder & CTO
- G2V Optics

Knowledge Base

Our Expertise. Your Home Base.

We make sure our customers have access to resources that help them understand more not only about the products we offer, but related applications and standards. Visit the knowledge base to learn more about LED illumination, Class AAA standards, Photovoltaics, and much more. Knowledge is solar power.

IEC 60904-9:2020 Standard for Solar Simulators

Solar Simulator Prices: Determine the TCO before buying

Solar Simulation

Interested in Pico? Let's Start Your Quote

We’re eager to hear about your research. We’re even more excited to find you the solar replication technology you need. Let’s talk.

Download the G2V Solar Simulation Brochure

For the latest information on the Pico small area solar simulator please download the LED Solar Simulation Brochure. Included is everything you need to know about the Pico, as well as a complete specification sheet. If you would like to know more please get in touch.