Technical_Specifications-SB1341-16-RQ-0250.pdf

Hyperspectral Imaging System

Technical Specifications

BACKGROUND INFORMATION

The Heat Transfer and Alternative Energy Systems (HTAES) group within the Energy and

Environment Division at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) contributes to the advancement of measurement science needed to achieve net-zero energy, high-performance buildings. One key component to achieving net-zero energy is advanced building energy technologies, especially renewable energy sources. Accordingly, the focus area for the

HTAES Group is to improve the tools used for measuring and evaluating renewable solar photovoltaic (PV) technologies. The PV project within the group is also involved in evaluating the performance of PV cells and modules after field exposure to the outdoor elements, or when the cells are aged in an accelerated laboratory setting within the Engineering Laboratory.

The hyperspectral imaging system is necessary to allow the HTAES group to reduce the uncertainty of its current, in-house PV measurement capability and to provide a key building block towards exploring ways to make more accurate and more readily implemented photovoltaic device measurements. The new measurement tools will furthermore allow the group to understand the physical mechanisms that ultimately cause failure of installed modules.

SCOPE/OBJECTIVE:

The objective of this acquisition is to procure a hyperspectral imaging system. The requested system consists of both a visible near infrared (VNIR) and a short wave infrared (SWIR) hyperspectral cameras with appropriate optical hardware and software analysis tools to allow for measurements of luminesce signal from silicon or other types of solar cells. Hyperspectral cameras are capable of providing spectral emission or reflection information for every pixel of the imaged object, therefore allowing for construction of maps that reveal how the entire surface area of a solar cell performs, say prior to entering service and a few years out after being exposed to degrading conditions outside. Furthermore, other valuable information such as quantum efficiency of the cell can be extracted from such imaging tools.

MINIMUM TECHNICAL REQUIREMENTS:

CLIN 0001

The Contractor shall provide one (1) hyperspectral imaging system that meets all of the following technical requirements:

1. The system shall have both a Visible Near Infrared (VNIR) Hyperspectral Imaging capability supporting the spectral range 400 nm to 1000 nm or wider AND a Short Wave

Infrared (SWIR) Hyperspectral imager covering the spectral range 900 nm to 1700 nm.

2. The imaging system shall have the ability to capture hyperspectral images and corresponding data from test materials with electroluminescence properties, as well as those with photoluminescence properties when exposed to appropriate broad spectrum or single wavelength illumination.

3. The VNIR Hyperspectral imager shall have the following specifications:

a. Spectral resolution of 4 nm or better.

b. Pixel resolution 1392 1040 or better.

c. An exposure time range 10s to 10 s or wider

d. Dynamic range A/D of at least 14 bit.

e. A quantum efficiency of 60 % or higher at a wavelength of 500 nm or near this wavelength.

f. A frame rate of at least 6 fps full resolution at full binning.

g. A pixel size of 7.5 m or less.

4. The SWIR Hyperspectral imager shall have the following specifications:

a. Spectral resolution of 5 nm or better.

b. Pixel resolution 320 256 or better.

c. An exposure time range 5s to 1.5 s or wider.

d. Thermoelectric (TE) cooling capability down to a temperature of – 40 °C or lower.

e. A quantum efficiency of 75 % or higher at 1100 nm.

f. Dynamic range A/D of at least 14 bit.

g. A pixel size of 30m or less.

5. Both the VNIR and SWIR Imagers shall be capable of being mounted on a microscope for micro-imaging work, AND a macro wide-field imaging setup. In the wide field mode, single images of test samples with dimensions up to 156 mm 156 mm shall be accommodated. In the microscope imaging mode with a 10x magnification, hyperspectral image pixel resolution shall be better than 2 m in the VNIR, and better than 5 m in the SWIR.

6. Both the VNIR and SWIR Imagers shall allow for the end user calibration and optimization.

7. A microscope system shall be included for use with both the VNIR and SWIR imagers with the following specifications:

a. At least one microscope port to support attachment of either hyperspectral imagers

(VNIR or SWIR) to the microscope.

b. The microscope shall come with 5x and 10x magnification objectives, supporting visible and NIR wavelengths with at least 70 % transmittance in the NIR region at

1300 nm.

c. The microscope shall support full spectrum illumination as well as single wavelength illumination for photoluminescence hyperspectral imaging, preferably via a light guide connection to the microscope.

d. The microscope stage shall accommodate mounting of samples with dimensions up to 50 mm.

e. A color optical camera shall be provided with the microscope to enable real-time screen display of the microscope image, as well as video and still image capture capability.

f. The optical camera mentioned in 7e) shall have a pixel resolution of better than 2400

2000, and a quantum efficiency of 60 % or better at 600 nm.

8. A macro imaging system shall be included for use with both the VNIR and SWIR imagers with the following specifications:

a. The macro system shall support different optical lenses to capture a variety of fields of view, with sample dimensions up to 156 mm 156 mm.

b. Lenses shall support both visible and NIR wavelengths with better than 70 % transmittance at 1300 nm.

9. The following hyperspectral image analysis capability shall be satisfied:

a. The contractor shall provide an image analysis software for analysis of both the

VNIR and SWIR hyperspectral images.

b. Each pixel of a hyperspectral image shall provide the full spectral response on demand.

c. Hyperspectral image files can be spectrally sub-setted over different wavelength ranges of interest.

d. Spectral output data can be normalized to an intensity factor for comparative analysis among different spectra.

e. The hyperspectral image files can be exported to other analysis formats, if desired.

f. Spectral profiles from the images can be exported as ASCII files to other programs such as excel.

10. The contractor shall offer the technical staff member onsite installation and training for a period of at least two days (more if required) at the Gaithersburg, MD campus of NIST upon delivery of the product.

CLIN 0002

Optional line item

1. The Contractor shall provide up to 2 weeks of prepaid technical support for application development and customization work for NIST.